In a heartfelt reflection, Cancer Fighters Specialist Avery Garn explores the emotional complexity of cancer survivorship. Survivors often carry both joy and sorrow—celebrating milestones while remembering the difficult journey it took to get there.

Insomnia is one of the most common late effects of cancer treatment, yet it is often overlooked in survivorship care. Fewer than half of NCI-designated cancer centers routinely screen for sleep problems, and many oncologists and nurses rarely ask about it. As a result, fewer than one in five survivors struggling with sleep ever mention it to their care team. Effective treatments for insomnia do exist, but they are not always discussed due to lack of time, knowledge, or resources.

Dr. Keith Bellizzi, a four-time cancer survivor and psycho-oncology researcher, shares lessons on resilience and survivorship. He highlights focusing on what you can control, managing emotions, and pausing to conserve energy as key strategies. Ultimately, he believes cancer is “beaten” by living with purpose and passion, on one’s own terms.