Gretchen Holmes
“When we share our stories, people realize they are not alone. It makes us feel less alone and scared. Isn’t that the most important thing? To support each other?”
Gretchen Holmes has been diagnosed with cancer three times. Her first diagnosis was for thyroid cancer: “I was 30 and in the middle of my BS degree at NYU when I found out I had cancer for the first time. I was shocked. I discovered later that it was highly curable and treatable, but it still was causing significant health problems,” she says. She continued with regular bloodwork after she was declared cancer-free, only to discover later that she had relapsed, and the cancer had spread to her lungs. This time it was Stage 4. “My mom was with me when I got the news, which helped immensely, even though I did not share the severity of the diagnosis with her. This time I was given very high doses of the standard treatment and was, thankfully, cured.”
Years later, in her mid-50s, Gretchen was diagnosed with endometrial cancer after suffering excessive bleeding. “Who gets cancer three times? I was shook,” she says. “I left work after I was told, went home, told my husband, and cried.” Through every treatment and physical toll cancer took, her loved ones lifted her up, particularly her mom and brother who stayed with her at home. “It meant the world to me to have them there. Just knowing they were there allowed me to sleep, I didn’t have to worry about anything except getting through my treatment. They made me laugh. I think that helped the most, that and the hugs.”
Twenty years later, Gretchen is now a survivor with her own podcast focused on health and cancer support. “I feel an obligation to help others navigate the day-to-day challenges of a diagnosis. By having survivors like me tell their stories, it brings others hope,” she says. She sees the same hope in cancer research: “Cancer research is critical. It not only helps with treatment but also with prevention. The more we know, the better it is for anyone who has cancer.”
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Stand Up To Cancer raises awareness and funds research to detect and treat cancers with the aspiration to cure all patients. Find out how you can get involved.
