A Letter to My Post-Surgery Self as Breast Cancer Awareness Month Ends

This is the last of a three-part series by the author for October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Unlike Breast Cancer Awareness Month, my story does not end with the start of November. In fact, I have barely reached the water’s edge.

In just a few weeks, I will have a major operation that will last all day and require at least several days in the hospital and months of recovery. I am more afraid of the recovery than the surgery itself, but I have learned to embrace this fear rather than fight it.

One way I do that is by reminding myself that I have faith in the doctors’ abilities, the nurses’ watchful eyes, my community’s strong arms, friends’ laughter, family’s strength and my own strong will to lead me through the next phase.

Knowing that the recovery will be difficult, though, I wrote a letter to myself to read after my surgery. Today, I share and dedicate that letter to each of my fellow breast cancer patients, survivors and thrivers.

We are not winning or losing a battle. We’re just making the best choices we can from a host of options no one would otherwise choose. I hope this letter helps each of you on this journey find a little more strength on your own difficult days.

Letter to My Post-Surgical Self:

Dear Danielle,

You have chosen life.

You made this choice based on all the available evidence at the time, as the saying goes. You knew it would be more difficult than you could imagine, but you embraced that fear and chose your best path forward.

The pain will subside. The scars will fade. Your energy will return.

You have a community standing beside you, all sharing a bit of their strength with you so that you can keep moving through this.

Remember each of them when you feel weak, when you feel that the pain is overwhelming or the emotions are beyond your coping. Your family and community are here with you. Read their cards again!

You are so strong. You have faced fear and danger so many times in your life and, every time, you looked to that flame inside you that cannot be doused. Your eternal flame. Your source of strength.

Maybe today you wonder what in the world you’ve done to yourself, how you could allow this apparent butchery of your body.

You’ve done this so that you can keep living. Remember to keep spreading joy with your light, optimism and silver linings.

You are the scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. The one Dorothy misses the most. That is because your soul shines brightly and shares that light with others.

Make it through today – tomorrow will likely be infinitesimally better, and the day after that a bit better too.

Then a week will pass, and a second one. Soon you will look back on this day with pride in your strength.

Remember: Embrace your fear, choose joy and accept love. One foot in front of the other. Today, tomorrow and the day after. You’ve got this!

You are stronger than you believe. You are brave.

All my love,

Your pre-surgical self (the same self you are today, just in a slightly different shape)

Find out more about the Hadassah Medical Organization’s Breast Cancer Research Institute.

Read the October 2025 Hadassah Magazine Article on HMO’s expertise in breast cancer research and treatment.

Danielle is a member of the Hadassah Writers’ Circle, a dynamic and diverse writing group for leaders and members to express their thoughts and feelings about all the things Hadassah does to make the world a better place. It’s where they celebrate their personal Hadassah journeys and share their Jewish values, family traditions and interpretations of Jewish texts. Hadassah members are proud of their Zionist mission and their role as keepers of the flame of Jewish values, traditions and beliefs as well as advocating for women’s empowerment and health equity for all. Since 2019, the Hadassah Writers’ Circle has published nearly 650 columns in The Times of Israel Blogs and other Jewish media outlets. Interested? Please contact hwc@hadassah.org.