I have a blog that allowed me to organize a Walk for the Cure team and raise nearly $10,000 for local programs. It keeps family and friends around the country and beyond up to date with my treatment and my state of mind. Sometimes my posts are humorous and occasionally they delve into the sad and the scary but they always give me a platform to express my feelings.

I am blogging and it has been the best experience of the cancer – the positive feedback I get, the number of people who stop me at schools to tell me how much they learned … the way they like my writing, or how I have caused them to act (get a mammogram, support a loved one). Blogging rocks. Cancer sucks. mommyunlocked dotcom

My cousin John has cancer right now, but he’s not comfortable with sharing his thoughts publicly during the process. He’s journaling, but he did agree to let his brother set up a Caring Bridge website for him. I think that might be just as effective as him blogging – he gets the support from family and friends while having an outlet for his thoughts (in the form of a journal), but doesn’t have to directly manage a blog. I think that’s for the best (for him).
He did mention that he might publish his experience after his cancer is gone, whether on a blog or in a book. He just read “Face Forward” by Michele Howe Clarke (http://faceforwardbook.com), which I think inspired him to do so. I think everyone reacts differently – since John is a very private person, I don’t know that I could convince him to blog during treatment.