Remaking Self

In and interview with Isabel Allende, the famous Latin American author, she spoke about remaking herself. That reference stuck with me, maybe because I have had to remake myself so many times. Each time we are in a new environment or have a transformative experience we gain perspective and have the opportunity to “remake” ourselves.

The human tendency is to try to find meaning in adversity and change. It is our way of processing and finding hope. Breast cancer can be a transformative experience for survivors, family members, and health care providers. Finding hope is the flip side of post traumatic stress disorder. Instead of repeatedly reliving trauma, the transformed individual takes the trauma and uses it to reinvent themselves, to find new meaning and joy in life.

One of the themes that came up over and over in the interviews I did for my book was that of transformation. Breast cancer in self, a loved one, or patients prompted people to change their lives, to find purpose, to reinvent themselves, to find hope.

I am still processing my own breast cancer experience, but feel that transformation is beginning. I am looking forward to discovering my fully remade self and to hearing more stories of transformation and hope.