Robert, United Kingdom

When I was diagnosed with cancer, the world around me seemed to blur. Suddenly, I was no longer just me—I was a patient, a case file, a diagnosis. Well-meaning friends and family often didn’t know what to say. At times, I felt invisible, as if my fears, my exhaustion, and even my hope were overshadowed by the disease itself.

Through it all, I learned that being seen isn’t about people knowing your diagnosis—it’s about them acknowledging you beyond it. Finding a consultant and Dr's who treated me as a partner in my care, joining a support group, and embracing my own strength helped me reclaim my sense of self.

Cancer may have changed my life, but it didn’t define who I am. And that realisation? That’s what truly empowered me.