Life has a funny way of preparing us for things we can't yet imagine. For over two decades, my world was one of high-stakes, deadline-driven freelance production. Each project was a unique beast – different clients, from beauty to pharmaceuticals; different teams; different, often complex, needs. My role? To be the calm center, the problem-solver, the one who brought order to potential chaos, ensuring everything ran smoothly. I founded Allswell Productions in 2013, and my days were about managing budgets, juggling schedules, anticipating needs, and making sure everyone felt supported and at ease so they could do their best work. Little did I know how profoundly these skills would be called upon in a deeply personal, unexpected way.

A cancer diagnosis can feel like a whirlwind, instantly throwing your world into chaos. Suddenly, your mind is racing with a thousand thoughts: complex medical decisions, an endless list of appointments, new physical challenges, worries about family and work, and perhaps the frustrating fog of 'chemo brain' making it all feel even more jumbled. It’s a heavy load, and the sheer volume of it all can be paralyzing, making it difficult to know where to even begin.

My journey with this work began, as so many do, with my own battle. At 41, life was full – I was immersed in a demanding 20-year career as a freelance producer, newly married, and embracing life with two wonderful stepdaughters. I was the "hardcore yoga practitioner," the green-juice drinker, someone who prioritized wellness. Then came the diagnosis: Stage 3 colon cancer.

When someone you care about is diagnosed with cancer, your first instinct is almost certainly to help, to offer support, to try and make things even a tiny bit easier. Your heart is in the right place, and that desire to be there for them is invaluable. Yet, sometimes, even with the best intentions, our words or advice can inadvertently miss the mark, especially when we lean on phrases that begin with "just."

Finishing active cancer treatment is a monumental milestone, a moment often imagined with immense relief and a triumphant sense of "it's over!" And while that victory is absolutely real and deserves celebration, what comes next can sometimes feel surprisingly... uncertain. The structured, frequent medical appointments may lessen, and the laser focus on "fighting" can leave a void. You might find yourself thinking, "Now what?"

When you or a loved one receives a cancer diagnosis, the immediate focus, quite rightly, shifts to the medical team: the oncologists, surgeons, nurses, and specialists who will manage the clinical aspects of treatment. Their expertise is indispensable, their role critical. But cancer, as anyone who has walked this path knows, doesn't confine itself to the body; it permeates every corner of life, bringing with it a whirlwind of practical, emotional, and logistical challenges that medical care alone isn't designed to address.