Then she hung up on me…
Almost every day, I speak with people at the very beginning of their PC journey. Sometimes it’s a newly diagnosed adult. Sometimes it’s a parent of a child with PC after a late night of worried Googling brought them to our website.
I answer their questions. I try to offer hope. I offer information about our in-person Patient Support meetings and online forums. I tell them about the connection and understanding that can make living with PC feel a little easier.
But not everyone is ready to hear that.
Just the other day, I spoke with a woman with PC. As we wrapped up our call, I gently asked if I could send her updates and resources.
Her response: “Why? I don’t want to hear from you until you have a cure.”
Then she hung up on me.
It broke my heart. But honestly, I get it. When you live with constant pain — pain that no one sees and few understand — sometimes even hope feels like too much.
The pain of PC goes so much deeper than just the physical part. It’s isolating. It can wear you down to the point where you don’t want to connect at all… even though connection is so often what’s needed most.
That’s exactly why speaking up matters.
Silent despair won’t bring us a cure. But connection will. Awareness will. ACTION will.
So I’m asking you today…
Please speak up for PC Awareness Month. Take a moment to post on social media what you wish others knew about your PC experience. Remember to use the hashtags #EndThePain and #PCAwareness.
Let’s end the pain — together.
With sincere gratitude,
Janice Schwartz
Executive Director, PC Project
P.S. Please also consider a gift to PC Project to help support life-changing research, connection, and care. All donations during the month of June will be double-matched, making your gift worth three times as much! Thank you for being an important part of this inspiring community!
#EndThePain
#PCAwareness
