There are few more terrifying moments in a woman's life than hearing the words, "You have cancer."  Yet every day, mothers around the world perch on an exam table in a thin paper gown, listen to these words, and their hearts sink.  What will happen to them now?  What will happen to their children?  Is there treatment available, and will it work?  Will the treatment itself be so disabling that someone else will have to care for their children?

And then, they step away from the exam table, dress, and go home to cook dinner for their family.

They arrange playdates, take the children to school, and then go off to a day of chemotherapy or radiation that may leave them too weak to accomplish even the most mundane tasks the next day.

I say "they," here, but what I really mean is, "me."  

Some of you are aware of my cancer fight this year, and how difficult I've found it to be the mother I want to be while fighting the ravages of inflammatory breast cancer.  I've found solace in this online community, and I am happy to report that my story has a happy ending.  After nearly a year of chemo, radiation, a double mastectomy (and almost 350 blog posts!), I have won my fight against cancer.  This time, at least.  In a year or ten years, it is highly likely that my cancer will return, but I am confident now that I have the tools to fight it again, both physically and mentally.

There are some amazing women out there fighting cancer, and I've learned so much from them that i wish every woman knew.

So we're starting something new.  A new site.  A place for mothers with cancer to gather.  A safe place to talk, to share, to rejoice, and to cry together.  A place for friends and other bloggers to gather with us, to share support when others need it, and to come for support when we or someone we love is having an especially difficult time with cancer.

We launched this site, Mothers With Cancer, last week, and the 4000 hits and dozens of comments are reinforcing the message that we want all mothers to hear: no matter what happens, you can lean on us for support.  We can lean on each other.

You are not alone. 

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Susan blogs at Toddler Planet, DC Metro Moms, Women in Planetary Science, and Mothers With Cancer, when she's not busy playing in the sandbox with her two little boys and looking forward to BlogHer 08!