Breast Cancer Creates Entrepreneurs

This is one of my favorite kinds of stories. It shows how patients can create something positive out of their difficult medical situations.

It's a story from the New York Times about a handful of women, breast cancer patients and survivors, who have begun businesses based on their experiences with diagnosis and treatment. From a business called Lymphedivas that creates compression sleeves for those with lymphedema, to a company called Smart Medical Consumers that helps patients organize and manage bills for appointments and treatment, to a woman who designed T-shirts to remind women to do their monthly breast exams, these women each took their adversity and turned it into something positive to help other women.

All patients can learn something from the example of these women. Helping others is incredibly cathartic. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, creating a way to focus ourselves on something that will make the road easier for others can, in fact, pave a much smoother road for ourselves.