Each poem and origin story in this collection was created for team members of the American Cancer Society’s Patient Support Pillar as part of the “My Why” professional development program – a space to reflect on purpose, resilience, and connection to the ACS mission.
About this Anthology
Through one-on-one sessions over Zoom, Listener Poets from The Good Listening Project asked each participant a simple, powerful question: “What would you like your poem to be about?”
Then, they listened.
These conversations opened windows into personal stories, motivations, and the unique “why” that inspires each person’s work. This anthology brings together those poems and stories as a testament to the purpose-driven spirit of the ACS community.
Inside these pages are expressions of courage, connection, love, and humanity. We invite every person who opens this book to join Patient Support team members in their reflection – because we all have a story worth sharing.
A teenage cancer survivor, this poemee shared how she learned from the younger children she witnessed undergoing the same treatment she was. “You just see a difference in the way a child approaches it,” she said. “They have the moment, they have the pain, they have the shot, and then they just go back to playing. I always took strength from the way little kids would handle it.”
“I’ve experienced a lot of big losses,” she said. “I want to be a beacon of hope and light, keeping the flame lit for cancer prevention.”
