Cancer Unfiltered Magazine
Because cancer doesn’t come with a filter — why should the stories?
January 2026 Issue: Remembering, Carrying, and Learning How to Live Forward
January is a month that asks us to hold two things at once: what we have lost and what still remains. In this issue of Cancer Unfiltered, we sit in that space. This is not an issue on starting over or pretending a new year makes anything easier. It is about learning how to carry what has changed and keep going anyway.
Featured Stories Include:
- Remembering Samantha Chuskas – A tribute to a wife, mother, and friend whose life was defined by generosity, faith, and showing up for others, even in the face of metastatic breast cancer.
- How Jen Philips Learned to Live With the Word “Stage 4” – Jen Philips on being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer at 37, finding the right treatment, and building a full, real life inside uncertainty.
- Hair Loss and Healing – On loss, control, and the strange work of learning to recognize yourself again when your body changes during treatment
- The Wedding Cancer Didn’t Get to Take – How Wish Upon a Wedding, a room full of strangers, and one October afternoon gave a couple their wedding back.
Unfiltered Stories,
Unshakable Strength
We share the voices of people living with cancer at every stage. From diagnosis to survivorship, every story is important, and we are here to tell them.
Real Patient Stories
Read first-person stories from people living with every stage of cancer, even Stage 4 — honest and unfiltered.
Expert Perspectives
Q&As and guidance from oncologists, OB/GYNs, advocates, and mental health professionals who get it.
The Emotional Load
We explore survivorship, grief, and anxiety with compassion—covering everything from body image to burnout.
Advocacy & Awareness
We tell the stories that get overlooked, pushing for visibility, real action, and meaningful change.
What a whirlwind reading the stories. I know those feelings. I know those thoughts. I’ve felt that way. Thoughts I keep buried in my head because there aren’t a lot of people in my life that can relate. Thank you!!
See Their Stories Come to Life
Real faces. Real stories. Real strength. We highlight those living with and beyond cancer—because visibility matters.
Our Commitment to
Real Stories
We don’t gloss over the hard parts. We tell the truth about diagnosis, treatment, recurrence, survival, and everything in between. Every story we share is rooted in honesty, empathy, and the belief that real experiences should be seen and heard.
Whether you’re living with cancer, caring for someone, or finding your way after treatment, Cancer Unfiltered is here to show the messy, beautiful, and often painful reality of it all. No ribbons, no filters, just real life in your words.
Why Read Cancer Unfiltered Magazine?
Created by Patients, for Patients
This is a place where honesty comes first, written by people who have experienced it themselves.
Stories That Don’t Skip the Hard Parts
We share the emotional, physical, and personal realities that often get left out, from diagnosis through every stage.
Insights That Actually Help
You’ll find advice from survivors, caregivers, and experts who talk in a way that feels real, not clinical.
All Stages. All Voices. All Welcome.
No matter your stage or where you are in your journey, you’ll find something here for you.
You’re Seen. You’re Heard. You’re Not Alone.
We believe no one should face cancer alone. Your voice and your story both matter here.