This is my breast cancer survival story

Editor’s note: During Ragan’s Internal Communications & Culture Conference in October, Sarah Plaster, director of organizational communications, Aflac, and Laura Walmsley, SVP business development, Virgin Pulse, touched upon the next pandemic being the “pan-didn’t.” Read: As a result of the pandemic, people could not get regular screenings or health check-ups in person. Unfortunately, in some instances, that may have resulted in a more severe diagnosis. Both Plaster and Walmsley expressed that companies (and communicators) must address this topic more proactively this year and moving into next; encouragement of regular screenings and other health-related check-ups.  

In the piece that follows, Cat Colella-Graham, founder and president of Cheer Partners, details her breast cancer survival story in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Like so many, the pandemic may have affected the severity of her diagnosis. She takes the reader on her journey from diagnosis to surgery, her return to work (too quickly), her lack of communicating to friends and colleagues her diagnosis and mindset and her advice to all who may be affected by a breast cancer diagnosis or any severe health-related diagnosis.