Trail Posts Blog

You signed up to care for patients, not to carry the weight of their suffering home in your pockets. Yet if you’ve worked in oncology for any length of time, you know it’s nearly impossible not to absorb some of the pain, fear, and loss you witness every day. It’s part of being human — and part of what makes you a compassionate professional. But it also has a name: secondary traumatic stress.

One of the most important aspects of life after cancer is building a supportive community. The road forward can be challenging, but surrounding yourself with people who truly understand and care can make all the difference. Whether you are still in treatment or navigating survivorship, a strong support system provides the encouragement, comfort, and perspective needed to move forward.

You know that feeling... the quiet dread before the workweek begins, the sense of life slipping by in the name of a paycheck, the pull of something more meaningful that just won’t go away. You’re not imagining it. You’re not being ungrateful. You’re standing at one of life’s most defining crossroads...