MEET EMPATHETIC ENCOURAGER TIFFANY

I am a self-proclaimed bibliophile who lives in rural Appalachia, homeschools my six children, travels often, and spends as much time in nature as possible. I love making music with my double bass in the community, creating needlework, and building deep relationships while relaxing by a fire or near any body of water. I was diagnosed with Stage 3b CRC in 2019, at age 36. Cancer does not define me, but it has had a profound impact on the way I show up in the world.

I often say that I was unmoored by my CRC diagnosis. One day, I knew roughly what the next five years of my life would look like, and the next day, everything was different and uncertain. I was drowning in worries, saturated with questions, and overcome by waves of information and tasks I had never encountered before. Nobody in my family, friend groups, or close associations had cancer. I felt completely isolated and afraid. After my colon resection surgery, I was referred to COLONTOWN, and I distinctly remember that it was the first sunny day I had encountered in the 10 weeks since my diagnosis. I was still unmoored and afraid, but I had found a whole crew of seasoned sailors—other patients and caregivers—willing to navigate the wild seas of colon cancer by my side. I started to understand my disease and treatment options, asked questions, and received thoughtful answers. I connected with people who had similar circumstances, and I felt hope again. For the first time in months, I was able to sleep at night.

My final round of chemo was completed just a few days before the COVID quarantine began. It was an unsettling time, both in my life and in the world. In many ways, I found survivorship more difficult than treatment. That summer, I was invited to participate in the first virtual EPL (Empowered Patient Leader) Workshop. I felt a desire to show up for others who had also been unmoored by cancer. Volunteering for COLONTOWN helped me through my hardest moments of survivorship. As someone whose tumor originated in the cecum (the far-right end of the colon), I have been a host in the “On the Right Side” neighborhood for over four years. I have also been reading and having discussions with my neighbors as a host in “Book Nook” for three years. I joined the PALTOWN team in 2021 to assist with Operations and Finance. I find the work we do immensely rewarding, and this year, I accepted a position to work more closely with the team as Director of Operations and Finance.

I joined COLONTOWN because I desperately needed support. I stayed because I realized I had support to give. Over the last five years, I have wept, laughed, and learned alongside my neighbors and seen firsthand the impact our programming has on the world. I can’t say I’m glad I was diagnosed with cancer, but it’s hard to imagine what my life would look like today without the people I have met through COLONTOWN. I have found a safe harbor here, and I am grateful every day for the patients and caregivers in COLONTOWN who keep me anchored.