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Living the Cure

this day, every day

About Me

Stephanie D. Zimmerman, MSN

wife | mom | childhood cancer survivor | former pediatric oncology nurse practitioner | heart recipient | keynote speaker | late effects advocate | trailblazer

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Survivor Life

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Essentials (21)
Late Effects (19)
Living the Cure (53)
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This [and] That (45)
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Living the Cure: Where Informed is the New Black

Living the Cure: Where Informed is the New Black

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I’m not going to lie; this was a hard loss as football goes. However, time with these two always promises good times and great memories AND it’s still great to be a Florida Gator: this day every day! #loveandmarriage #boymom #gatornurse #gogators #gatornation #secfootball

And this little cutie, now a young man facing challenges of his own calls me, mom and still tells me that he loves me even with friends around; he loves much and he is very much loved: always, no matter what, and a whole, WHOLE lot!

“This is Me” the type of #childhoodcancer I had, the aspects of my treatment that place me at increased risk for breast cancer, and the recommended screening guidelines. Treatment-related #breastcancer is real though it isn’t counted as such after one has survived beyond 5 years. Beyond 5 years, late effects are considered new onset conditions unrelated to prior cancer treatment. Even death due to heart failure caused by Doxorubicin or chest #radiation is recorded as cardiorespiratory failure and that’s it. When it looked as if I was going to die in 2008, I made my doctors promise me that my death certificate would say cardiorespiratory failure due to cancer treatment-related cardiomyopathy. We are losing data because of an arbitrary milestone; data that holds the potential to impact the lives of those coming behind individuals like myself. #unacceptable #breastcancerawareness #lateeffects #livingthecure

It’s officially October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this is my first post which, of course, brings attention to the fact that some adult survivors of #childhoodcancer are at increased risk for developing treatment-related #breastcancer there is quite a bit circulating on Twitter that would lead you to believe that chest #radiation is a prerequisite for treatment-related BC; however this is not the case. #chemotherapy alone can increase one’s risk because of the interplay with tumor biology and genetic mutations. Please be aware of this. Lastly, males and females carry risk for treatment-related breast cancer, especially those treated for the leukemias, lymphoma, and sarcomas. If you need further information, please DM me. I am happy to provide you with the scientific foundation of this risk. Again, reach out if you need more information. #survivorshipmatters #livingthecure

Thanks to @leadgladiator for posting this graphic, this thought, this morning. I choose day one; however, there was a time when my answer would have been one day. That time was in the aftermath of my 💞 Transplant when the future was so uncertain that I wouldn’t allow myself to say day one. Well, today is a different story, a new, different chapter; a chapter of hope and future. Survivor, I know you struggle with this because I hear it from you every day, and I know the struggle well. Regardless of outcome, this can be day one for you as well. #survivorship #childhoodcancer #livingthecure #lateeffects PS I strongly encourage you to follow @leadgladiator for daily positive, affirming, and encouraging words. He serves as the principal at little man’s high school.

ThrowbackThursday: ABZ was SO excited that day because I finally caved in and bought him red hairspray for Halloween, albeit a few weeks early. So, we had to try it out; his heart was bubbling with gratitude, joy danced in his eyes, and then, he wanted it to disappear: ha! PS I taught ABZ a little sign language before my transplant of which the most important sign was the I love you sign. You’ll note his hand is in the air in this picture. He was telling me “I love you”! I love our son beyond words, beyond measure.

Posters may be down, but 43 children and teens were diagnosed with #childhoodcancer #ayacancer yesterday. Please remember our children 24/7/365; cancer relents for no one whether gold, pink, white, lavender...

SO pleased to share with you that the #jchsgladiators raised $2118.11 to benefit @curechildcancer from Mailbox Bows to Coins4CURE to Gladiators Go Gold t-shirts our student body acted upon their awareness that kids and teenagers get cancer too! #justconquer #gratitude

Reach Out

sdzhappy@gmail.com

1-770-313-1730

Leave a VM and I will return your call. Note: ET is my island time.

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Strong, but Exhausted

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