Cancer is not just a battle against the disease itself, but also against the mental toll individuals Endeavor during the regiment.         As an advocate and survivor, I have heard and felt the voices of anxiety, depression, grief and even suicide  

​To Healthcare Leaders and Policymakers:

​The moment a person hears the word "cancer," the world stops. As both a patient and a caregiver, I know that moment intimately. It feels like a physical weight dropping onto your chest, pulling the air from your lungs and trapping you in a bubble of total confusion.

​While our medical system is excellent at rushing patients toward surgery and chemotherapy, it often leaves the human spirit to fend for itself. We are expected to fight a war while being crushed by a mental dark shadow named 'survivor ship' that leaves you feeling isolated, overwhelmed with fear and anxiety — a dark shadow so cold that it leaves you breathless before the battle even begins.

​Every patient needs a moment to gather their thoughts and breath mentally. Mental preparation is the first course of action during this horrific diagnosis. 

​Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the oxygen we need to clear the mental fog and make sound, empowered decisions. Yet, for millions, this lifeline is cut off by high costs and a lack of resources. According to the American Cancer Society, 1.9 million new cases are diagnosed in a year. That is millions of people left to carry this cancer weight in the dark mentally and physically.

​We as cancer patients and advocates demand change. Mental health therapy must be a free standard part of every cancer diagnosis and treatment regimen. This should be the first course of action the moment of a diagnosis and beyond.

​We are asking that you give us the tools to fight. Give us the chance to breathe, a chance to survive mentally. Sign this petition to make mental health care a right, not a second thought nor a luxury.