Hi, I'm Naomi and founder of The C Side. I am also a Cancer Survivor, diagnosed with Bowel Cancer in August 2019 at the ripe old age of 39.
No one is ever prepared for news, either good or bad. Receiving the news that you have been diagnosed with a potentially life limiting disease is horrific, overwhelming, extremely sad and makes a person want to run away and find a quiet hidey hole to process everything that is happening.
From that point the experience goes past in a blur of scans, appointments, information sessions, surgery discussions, radiation discussions, oncology discussions, appointments to be set up for radiation sessions including some cute tattoos (note: these tattoos are not cute), treatment schedules, pharmacy discussions, and for people like me diagnosed with bowel cancer, surgery to fit a portocath and colostomy surgery.
I’m not entirely sure how I got through those first few months.
Anger, sadness, confusion, disappointment, searching for reasons why, worry, and the never-ending spiral of ‘what if’. These emotions, thoughts and feelings circulated continuously.
Therapy was a life line. Being able to talk to someone impartial and understanding was like releasing a pressure valve on emotions that I hadn’t realised I’d been holding in for the sake of myself, my family and friends.
Somehow, I made it through the surgeries, the radiation, immunotherapy, chemotherapy (which continues to this day), and all the shitty side effects.
Cut to present day and I’m a person living with cancer, but working hard to thrive and make the most out of every day. I work full time, I exercise, I work closely with an oncology nutritionist (shout out to Nichole!), and I’ve taken everything I’ve experienced and learned and channelled it into setting up The C Side.
The C Side is a beautiful and serene place for people to find gifts and cards supporting family, friends, and even work colleagues who are going through cancer treatments. Welcome to The C Side, please join me as I release this space and small business into the world!
