The Cancer Scaries

Hi Friend,

This newsletter is different than I’ve ever written because, for once, I’m not writing about career - I’m writing about really what matters above all else: health.

On April 1st, in some kind of April Fools twist of fate, I found a lump.

A few days later, I had my very first mammogram, ultrasound and breast biopsy. 

The following Monday, I was diagnosed with breast cancer - more specifically, Stage 2 triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer. 

In the next few weeks, I will start my treatment plan: 20 weeks of chemotherapy & immunotherapy followed by surgery and likely more treatment (radiation and/or more chemo). 

It’s been a whirlwind and doesn’t feel totally real yet.

I know that I’m not at all alone in this. But keeping this to myself and continuing to write just about career transition, when I’ve made a business of sharing myself fully, would be lonely and feel inauthentic. So here I am sharing. 

My family and friends have shown up in BIG ways already. Especially my husband, Jake.

I have a wonderful therapist who is reducing cost so I can come more often and have a space to process (can we PLEASE make this kind of access more normalized?!).

My medical team, comprised of the most fabulous husband and wife duo - the Chief of Breast Surgery and Chief of Breast Imaging at Lenox Hill, is absolutely incredible and has moved incredibly quickly and compassionately alongside my oncologist and fertility specialist.

And yet - this can and will still feel really lonely and, despite leaning into my naturally positive outlook and the incredible advancements in treatment in recent history, I’ll just say it: this is SO shitty. 

So…I’ve started to do what I do when things feel dark (a long job search, a cross country move at the start of a global pandemic and, now, a cancer diagnosis) - seek and build community. 

So far, I found those who are or have gone through this on forums like Reddit, The Breasties and through my network but, I’m turning here, to my loyal subcscribers, to seek more specific connection.

If you know someone who has gone throughout this or a similar diagnosis that also is a small business owner, I would love to talk with them - just reply to this email with more info.

Oh also - I’m not going anywhere - I’m still very much Career Coach Jess.

But, as much as it pains me after just hitting my 1 year in business milestone, I’ll be slowing down work in order to prioritize treatment and how I serve you will change: less 1-1 client sessions, more async and digital services, more 1-to-many offerings, etc. I’m not sure yet how I’ll feel and I recognize that how I feel will change over the course of my treatment so I’m giving myself grace to not have an operating plan and take things more day by day than I ever have before.

But, I’ll very much still be here in some capacity to support you in your search for an aligned career just as much as you’re here supporting me if you’re still reading this. Just not in your inbox every single Sunday.

I also want to acknoweldge that you didn’t subscribe to this newsletter to hear about my cancer and that even this email could be triggering if you or a loved one are impacted by a similar diagnosis so, from hear on out, I’ll be choosing to share most of my cancer journey in a totally newsletter: Slayin’ the Cancer Scaries.

I can’t promise how often this or this new newsletter will be sent but I can promise that the energy I put in will be as healing for me as I hope it is helpful to you. By subscribing, you’ll be supporting my favorite way of processing and making purpose in times of uncertainty: writing, and for that I’ll be grateful.

TLDR: 

excuse my language but FUCK cancer 🖕

check your body - I wouldn’t have found this for a long time if I had just waited for a doctor’s appointment 🧐

introduce me to your entrepreneur breast cancer warriors (just reply to this email) 👯‍♀️

Subscribe to Slayin’ The Cancer Scaries if you’d like to follow along my more personal journey - first update lands in your inbox later this week.

I’ll continue to show up here with milestone updates and advice to support your career transition 🫶

We’re better and stronger together 💗

Jess Storiale