Stories of Inspiration

Cancer Widow Helping Other Young Cancer Patients to Cope

By Daniel Casciato

“You can either be mad and angry about it, or you can do something with it, learn something from it. It only has the power over you that you give it.”

That was the response Charissa Hamilton-Gribenas’ husband, Rick, gave to her when she asked him how he was so calm and accepting of his cancer.

Following his death to a recurrence of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in March of 2009, Charissa followed his advice and approached her new beginning as a young widow the same way Rick had challenged his illness. She was also inspired to find a way to help other young adult cancer patients and formed BRICKS (Building Resources In Cancer Knowledge & Services) for Young Adults, an organization that aims to connect young adult cancer patients to people and resources that may be useful to them as they undergo treatment and beyond. Read more…

Stories of Inspiration

• Every Day Is a Gift
• You Can Do It Alone: A Personal Message from a Local Writer & Editor
• Thinking Your Way To Happy
• Moving Forward: A Mompreneur’s Triumph Over Divorce
• How I Got My Butt Kicked and Survived
• Turning Her Life Back Around
• After Losing Family to Accident, Author Now Helps Guide the Bereaved and Broken-Hearted
• Finding Strength through Faith and Writings
• There is Life After Loss: Widow Helps Others Along their Healing Journeys
• Navy Wife
• Make Peace with the Past to Enjoy Your Life Now
• The Ex-Navy Wife
• Are You Sabotaging Your Success?
• Loss, Grief and the Work-of-Grief: A Different Perspective
• A Nightmare Ends In Hope
• I Said I Will
• The Triumphant Nature of Love
• Recovering From Depression after Losing a Spouse or Partner
• Born Abandoned
• Moving Forward and Finding A New Normal—A Profile on Ron Miller
• What We Learn from Children Diagnosed with Life Threatening Illnesses
• Stories of Inspiration: Huy Anh Phan
• Finding Renewal After Loss: An Interview with Author Ellen Gerst
• Ch…ch…ch…changes and Transformations: The Journey of Divorce
• The Women-Helping-Women Movement Is All About Connecting. Here Are 11 Ways to Do It Better.
• Balancing Hope and Reality After a Loved One’s Cancer Diagnosis
• Finding Your Purpose Is as Simple as One Word

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