Survivor Q&A: Jayne Byrne

I had a few questions for Jayne Byrne after I read her story the other day, and I thought I’d share her answers with you all here today!

What was the greatest lesson having breast cancer taught you?

I’ve learned to really pay attention: to my body, my stress level, my relationships, and my priorities. My inner voice is smarter than the rest of me!

What advice would you give to someone recently diagnosed, heading into treatment or moving on after?

Do whatever it is that you need to do to feel at peace with your decisions. However you get there (prayer, research, a second opinion, all of the above, none of the above … ), don’t waste energy second-guessing your decisions after the fact. You did your best.

Remember Jayne wrote about her pre-cancer poetry writing? Well, this poem of Jayne’s originally appeared in Byline and she’s sharing it with us here at The Pink Ribbon Review today. (I hope you get back into this particular love of yours, Jayne — maybe this will be the catalyst!)

On Winding a Poem

The poem leaps
to become the circle
of a serious child,
a yo-yo winder of seven
who has learned through practice

that the magic resides
not in the dazzling trick,
but in the winding:
a succession of concentric circles
that progresses toward smaller
and tighter,
until it is real and close
and can be held in a small palm.