Cancer Chronicles with Cynthia Dano: Spring 2025
Cancer is often described as an enemy—something that attacks, invades, and steals. It is disruptive. It invades without permission, bringing uncertainty, fear, and an endless stream of questions. It challenges the body, weighs on the mind, and demands attention, often pushing people to their limits. We all understand the havoc and devastation that cancer can do and bring. But while cancer is powerful, it has boundaries—there are lots of things it simply cannot do.
Here’s a popular poem or quote that maybe you have seen:
Things cancer cannot do:
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot corrode Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendship
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence Courage
It cannot invade the Soul
It cannot steal Eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit.
I love this, and it gave me strength when I was going through cancer. And even though I do not currently have active cancer, I keep a photo of it on my phone so I can look at it periodically to remember its lessons. I wanted to dive a little deeper into some of these here…
Cancer Cannot Cripple Love
Love exists beyond the physical. It is not dependent on health, strength, or even time. Cancer may change routines, add hospital visits, or bring physical hardship, but it cannot diminish the love shared between our family, friends, and partners. If anything, it often strengthens those bonds.
Cancer cannot stop a parent from loving their child, a spouse from holding the hand of their partner, or a friend from offering unwavering support. It cannot erase the shared memories, the laughter, or the moments of deep connection. Love endures—far beyond the reach of any disease. Love carried me through both times I had cancer…love from my husband, my parents, my children, my friends, business associates, and acquaintances. For those who have spent their lives embracing love, kindness, and purpose, cancer may alter the future, but it cannot take away what has already been experienced and shared.
Cancer Cannot Shatter Hope
Hope is one of the strongest forces in the human experience. Even in the darkest moments, hope finds a way to shine through—whether through a promising treatment, a new day, or the love of those who stand beside us. Hope is not dependent on test results or survival rates; it lives in every moment of courage and every act of resilience. Cancer cannot take away the hope of healing, whether that healing comes physically, emotionally, or spiritually. It cannot touch the hope that comes from scientific advancements, the prayers of a community, or the simple belief that each day holds something new and meaningful.
Cancer Cannot Corrode Faith
Faith—whether in a religious sense or simply in a greater purpose—is something cancer cannot touch. Many find deep spiritual strength in the midst of their battle, turning to prayer, meditation, or reflection to find comfort. For those who do not follow a faith, there is still an inner peace that cancer cannot steal—the peace of knowing they have lived well, loved deeply, and made an impact. Cancer may create uncertainty, but it cannot remove meaning from a life well-lived.
Cancer Cannot Destroy Peace
Cancer may create turbulence, but it does not have the power to destroy peace—unless we allow it to. That’s not saying it’s always easy. I had to work hard and receive a lot of help from meditation, prayer, and even therapists to attain a level of peace. Peace is an internal state, something that can exist even in the middle of hardship. Cancer may bring physical pain, difficult treatments, and emotional distress, but it cannot take away the ability to find moments of stillness, acceptance, and even gratitude.
Cancer Cannot Kill Friendship
Serious illness often reveals the depths of true friendship, and that was so true for me. Taking me to chemo, holding me when I cried, listening when I was scared, holding my hand early in the morning while I was waiting for surgery, and sharing memories over a campfire. Cancer solidified our bonds and deepened our connection. Cancer shows us who will walk beside us no matter how rough the road becomes. Friends become anchors—offering comfort, distraction, and unwavering presence. They are there in the late-night phone calls, the meal deliveries, the words of encouragement when strength wavers. Cancer may test relationships, but real friendship does not falter; it only grows stronger in adversity. But friendship is not only vital during the battle—it is just as important after cancer. Whether in recovery, remission, or life after loss, friendship continues to play a crucial role. It reminds us that we are never alone, that joy is still present, and that life is meant to be shared. Cancer cannot kill friendship because true friends refuse to let it.
Cancer Cannot Suppress Memories
Cancer may alter the future, but it has no power over the past. Every moment of laughter, every embrace, every adventure we have lived remains untouched. The memories created before cancer existed—vacations, childhood mischief, love stories, inside jokes—those belong to us forever.
Memories are sacred. They are proof of a life well-lived, of the people we have loved, of the moments that have shaped us. Cancer cannot erase the birthdays celebrated, the hands held, the stories told. And even in the hardest moments, new memories continue to be made—memories of resilience, of love that transcends illness, of days filled with courage and connection. No illness can touch the years of laughter, love, and accomplishments that have already been lived. Every cherished memory, every lesson learned, every relationship built—cancer can’t touch that.
For those who have lost someone to cancer, memories become a gift. They remind us that love does not end; it simply changes form. Cancer cannot suppress memories because memories are how we keep the people we love alive in our hearts.
Cancer Cannot Silence Courage
Courage is not the absence of fear; it is choosing to move forward despite it. Cancer can bring uncertainty, but it cannot silence the courage that rises in the face of challenge. It cannot quiet the determination of a person fighting through treatments. It cannot diminish the bravery of a caregiver offering comfort and strength. It cannot silence the loved ones who refuse to give up hope.
Courage comes in many forms—it is in the decision to keep going, to hold onto faith, to embrace life even when it feels fragile. It is in the ability to say, “I will not let this define me,” and in the resilience to keep finding beauty in the midst of difficulty.
Even beyond cancer, courage remains essential. It is the courage to move forward after treatment, to reclaim life, to trust in health again, to support those still fighting, and to live without fear, knowing that every day is precious.
Cancer Cannot Conquer the Spirit
The human spirit is remarkably unbreakable. Cancer may test our strength, but it cannot destroy our determination. We often discover inner strength we never knew we had. That spirit is not limited to the body—it thrives in laughter, storytelling, finding joy in the small things, and choosing to embrace life no matter the circumstances.
Every day, those of us facing cancer continue to find reasons to smile, to fight, and to live fully.
Wishing you a spring filled with showing cancer what it cannot do.
cynthiadano@gmail.com
cynthiadano.com
*Some parts were compiled from many online sources.
