As I have been blogging here for a bit now, I thought I would take a moment to introduce myself.

I am a trained scientist, holding a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a master's degree in biochemistry. In addition to my science background, my interest in blogging for The Cancer Blog comes from a personal place.

In 1999, my father died of esophageal cancer after a short illness. His first symptom was difficulty swallowing and the diagnosis just took off from there. He was an otherwise-healthy man in his late 60s and had reached a very happy point in his life. He had just settled into retirement and was surrounded by a large family that adored him. The best years were yet to come.

I buried my grief for a few years. Since then, I have become a living testament to that old saying, "Time heals all wounds." Slowly but surely, I could look at pictures of him and enjoy them, I could talk about him and not burst into tears. I know my dad wanted me to be happy and I am.

I believe in the power of telling our stories and perhaps more importantly, the power of listening.

I am continually amazed by the resilience of the human spirit.