Vanessa (39) from Schriesheim suffers incurably from an atypical form of yolk sac cancer
By chance, doctors find a tumor on Vanessa's adrenal gland in July 2015 - and immediately reassure her: such a lump is usually benign. But it soon became clear that Vanessa was suffering from yolk sac cancer. "It's considered highly treatable, 95 percent of those affected are cured," she says. After four sessions of chemotherapy, Vanessa also looks well. But in January, her doctors found metastases on her adrenal gland and liver. The product manager has to undergo three high-dose chemotherapy sessions. In summer 2016, she seems to have finally beaten the cancer. During another operation - the third within a year - only the remains of the tumor tissue were to be removed. "It turned out that a metastasis was not yet dead." Vanessa discontinues further chemotherapy in August after the doctors find more metastases in her abdomen. Vanessa now knows: Her cancer is incurable. She is the only patient in the world whose yolk sac cancer is so atypical. During this time, the 39-year-old begins to write openly about her life with cancer on Facebook. She lets her readers, whom she calls her "companions", share her thoughts, both positive and sad. She writes about her treatment, new drugs and procedures that may enable doctors to decipher her cancer after all. About side effects such as the sensory disturbances in her hands and feet that she suffers from due to the exhausting treatments. And about her hope that the growth of the cancer cells will stagnate once and for all: "Then I could live with the disease for many more years." Vanessa is also launching the "Cancer has a face" photo project: 13 photographers are taking pictures of her and a calendar is planned to be published in October 2017. She would like to donate the proceeds to the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) in Heidelberg. More about Vanessa and her project: www.facebook.com/aufeinmalwarerda and www.facebook.com/krebshateingesicht
Julia (49) from Bern was diagnosed with breast cancer a year and a half ago
Julia will never forget August 20, 2015. On that day, the Swiss woman by choice, an anaesthetist by profession, felt a lump in her right breast. After four days of trepidation, the suspicion was confirmed: Julia had cancer. She undergoes surgery that same week. Her treatment soon begins: 16 infusions of chemotherapy, then 33 radiotherapy sessions. Her body becomes weaker and weaker, and she also has to fight a flu-like infection twice. "I've never felt so ill and miserable before," she recalls the difficult time. What gives her strength? Her husband André - and her blog, which she has been writing since the beginning. "I wanted to keep friends and relatives up to date so that we didn't always have to talk about my illness when we met up," she says. But the blog soon became much more than a therapy log. Julia wants to help other sufferers in a very practical way: "As a doctor, I wanted to make medical German understandable." She makes friends with other bloggers and mobilizes her readers, both those affected and those not affected, to take part in charitable events - such as the Race for Life, a bike ride for a good cause in Bern, where you can express your solidarity with cancer patients. Today, Julia is working 50% again in her old job. She writes about her life after cancer at www.krebskillerin.net.
Marie (27) from Maintal was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease as a young mother
It started with a persistent cough. Marie went to the doctor again and again for months. Until it was clear that Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, was behind it. Shortly before Christmas 2014, a tissue sample was taken from her chest, she was given chemotherapy and had to stay in hospital for four weeks. "The worst thing was that I couldn't be with my daughter." When her little girl turned one year old, Marie shaved off her falling hair - after the birthday party. While still in hospital, the trained paralegal began writing about her cancer. "Maybe I can at least help someone if I have to go through this," she thinks. Marie has been cancer-free since May 2015. And on her blog, she encourages other sufferers: www.mariegegenkrebs.blogspot.de
