The Power of Patient-to-Patient Connections
Talk to trusted patients who have walked the path before you. Authenticity, shared wisdom, and clinical excellence.
You don’t have to figure this out alone—connect with someone who truly understands what you’re going through.
Learn the skills and confidence to support others who are facing a similar health journey.
Already completed UCSF training? Turn your experience into support for someone else.
Your story has power. Help others find hope, understanding, and strength through it.
How do I learn what to expect after a cancer diagnosis?
The first few months after diagnosis can feel overwhelming—like you’ve landed on a different planet with a new language and new fears. What helped me most was connecting with others who had already been through it. Talking to people who understood the treatments and what to expect gave me clarity and confidence, and helped me feel like I wasn’t facing it alone.
“Talking to others who had been through it changed everything. You realize you’re not just a patient—you’re part of a community.”
Victor Ortiz
Prostate Cancer
What should I do first after being diagnosed with cancer?
It can feel overwhelming at first—like everything is suddenly out of your control. For me, getting connected to integrative care made a real difference. I learned what to eat, how to move my body, and how to manage the stress that comes with a diagnosis. It gave me a sense of control again and helped me feel like I had a path forward.
“You don’t have to go through this alone. Getting support helped me feel like I had some control again when everything felt uncertain.”
Peggy Lopipero-Langmo
Lung Cancer
How do I stay positive during chemotherapy?
Mindset made a big difference for me during chemotherapy. I chose to reframe it—not as something toxic or scary, but as the thing that was saving my life. I created small routines around each infusion, like having a friend come with me, planning something comforting afterward, and bringing things that made me feel at ease. That shift helped make the experience feel less overwhelming.
“I stopped thinking of chemo as something to fear and started seeing it as something that was saving my life. That change in mindset made it a lot less scary.”
Jane Mortimer
Breast Cancer
What should I expect during cancer treatment?
What helped me most was knowing what to expect. My doctor explained that radiation is cumulative—that the first couple of weeks might feel manageable, but it would get harder as treatment went on and even after it ended. That honesty made a huge difference. I understood that the pain I felt was part of the process, not something going wrong, and that gave me a sense of relief.
“Once I understood what to expect, it took away a lot of the fear. The hardest part wasn’t the pain—it was the uncertainty.”
Susanna Benningfield
Oral Pharyngeal Squamous
