BEACHWOOD, Ohio — Jessica Atwood is fighting breast cancer.
"I was diagnosed just this past March," she told us. "Just trying to do everything now to make sure I never have to go through this again."
She's fighting for her life, and fighting for those in it.
"I've got two kids, a great husband, good family and friends," she said. "For me, it was never an option not to just do everything that I could possibly do to get through this. It would just be another chapter in the story and not the last one."
When diagnosed with cancer, there is no playbook to go by.
"Everybody's cancer journey is different," Atwood noted.
But it's a journey she found doesn't have to be made alone, thanks to organizations like The Gathering Place.
"They really take the time to get to know you, what your needs are, what your story is and how they can support you through your cancer journey," she said.
The Gathering Place is a cancer support center that provides education, counseling, even wigs, all free of charge. Michelle Snowden was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2019, and found she didn't have to make the journey alone thanks to the efforts of volunteers.
"You don't know what to expect," Snowden said. "You have others who have been through that that are able to encourage you and tell you what's going on."
While everyone's cancer journey is different, Jessica, Michelle and many others have found the same support, powering them in the fight for their life. For more information on The Gathering Place, visit touchedbycancer.org.