Carolyn Taylor, Global Cancer Lived Experience Advocate, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Twenty years ago today, I walked into surgery. I was 43. My cancers had been caught early, and I was in a system that worked. I knew I was fortunate. At that moment, my world was myopic, focused on the moment, with no real sense of what might come after.
What I could not have imagined was where having cancer would lead me. In the years that followed, I began to document what I was seeing, meeting people across the world whose lives were shaped by cancer in ways very different from my own, and yet deeply connected. Those conversations have stayed with me, held closely in my heart.
Over time, that understanding became the foundation of my work, ensuring those lived realities are not just heard, but help shape how care is designed, delivered, and improved.
Twenty years on, what I feel most is gratitude.
For my life. For the people I’ve met along the way who I have the great fortune to call my dear friends and colleagues. For a path I never would have chosen, but am deeply grateful for.
So today is not just about looking back.
It’s about continuing forward, with purpose, commitment, and love.”
Other articles featuring Carolyn Taylor on OncoDaily.