From Patient to Advocate: Diane’s Story
by Diane Furstenau
I am originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho. I moved to the East Coast for college when I was 18. I currently live in Rockville, Maryland. I have worked on international human rights and democracy projects for over a decade. I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer when I was 31.
Advice for Others
You don’t have to go through this alone. My experience showed me how many people, even complete strangers, are willing to support you. It definitely restored my faith in humanity! The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and strangers was truly touching and unexpected. When you are having a hard day, it helps to think about how much people care about you. It will help you get through anything!
It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to have times where you want to break down and cry. You will want to hide what you are really feeling, but there is no harm in letting it out sometimes. I wish I had done that, as it would have been quite cathartic!
Life After Cancer
It may sound a little strange, but cancer gave me a new appreciation for life that I did not have before my diagnosis. Life now is so precious and beautiful to me. Even when I have bad days, I am just thankful to be alive!
I think many of the challenges I have faced have come after treatment. During treatment, I was in full survival mode and tried to put on a brave face for the sake of my caregivers. However, after treatment, I definitely struggled at times with my new reality and the fear of recurrence. I have since started therapy and sharing my experience with others, which has really helped with dealing with the emotions after the cancer experience. After treatment, I also did not quite feel the same physically. That has really pushed me to take better care of my physical health.
Livestrong Fertility Put My Mind at Ease
I heard about Livestrong Fertility services from my doctor after my diagnosis. At the time, I was in an entry-level non-profit job and was concerned about how I was going to cover fertility preservation. Even when my doctor submitted my information to Livestrong, I was worried about everything I would have to do to coordinate services, especially during that stressful time. I remember coming home from an appointment and getting the initial call from Livestrong. The Livestrong rep did everything she could to make coordination of fertility preservation as easy as possible for me. She’d even check in to make sure I had the medications I needed. I never had to reach out on my own for assistance. I can’t say how much that meant to me!
Livestrong was there for me during an incredibly difficult point in my life and helped put my mind at ease on fertility preservation. Especially as my husband and I are beginning the process of starting a family, I am even more grateful for everything Livestrong has done for me.
Impact Through Advocacy
After everything that Livestrong did for me, I really wanted to give back and support the organization. Not only did I want to spread the word about how wonderful Livestrong is, but I also wanted to advocate for policies that help those affected by cancer. When I heard about the Livestrong Advocacy Council, I applied right away, as it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to do that. I am so excited to be part of the Advocacy Council!
About Livestrong Fertility
Livestrong Fertility was created for those whose cancer diagnosis may affect their ability to create or add to their families.
