More on cancer survivors’ stories 

Missing from the great article in the Feb. 4 Recorder about the “Cancer Survivors: Stories of Hope and Resilience” event on Feb. 11 at the Academy of Music, are the names of all seven storytellers.

Two of those participants are important benefactors to Cancer Connection, the 23-year-old cancer support organization in Northampton. Cancer Connection provides a wide variety of support programs and services free of charge to anyone diagnosed with cancer, their families and caregivers. Two of the February 11 storytellers are board member Howard Hanna from Amherst and Cancer Connection writing workshop leader Pam Roberts from Shelburne Falls.

Roberts has been the leader of “Spirit of the Written Word” writing workshop she created in 2003. Writer, artist and certified yoga teacher, she is a two-time cancer survivor and creator of “1 in 8: The Torso Project,” a healing art experience for women affected by breast cancer. Comprised of torso-making workshops, exhibits and now a book, “1 in 8: The Torso Project” fosters healing and brings attention to the statistic that one in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

Roberts is also the co-editor of a new volume of 50 poems and prose pieces along with three other cancer survivors entitled “Words to Live By.” The idea for this book originated in Robert’s “Spirit of the Written Word” workshop in 2004 with an earlier version of the book featuring writings by people diagnosed with cancer. In the new volume, each writing is accompanied by a full-color photograph from nature by award-winning photographer Keith Carver. The book was created as a thank you to Cancer Connection for its support of all four of the book’s creators.

John Bos

Greenfield

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