Bob's Columns

Bob Riter is the retired Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Center. His articles about living with cancer appeared regularly in the Ithaca Journal and on OncoLink. He can be reached at bobriter@gmail.com.

A collection of Bob’s columns, When Your Life is Touched by Cancer: Practical Advice and Insights for Patients, Professionals, and Those Who Care, is available in bookstores nationwide and through online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Don’t Ask About My Battle

We seem to struggle with language when the topic is cancer. We don’t think twice when cancer is discussed in military terms. In 1971, Richard Nixon declared “war” on cancer

I Have Cancer, What’s New With You?

Two days after being diagnosed with cancer, I received a call from the Red Cross asking if I’d give blood in an upcoming blood drive. I was a regular blood

Telling the Parents

I’ve seen many resources that provide advice on how to tell your children that you have cancer. But what about the other generation – your parents? Family relationships are sometimes

Telling the Kids

If you are diagnosed with cancer when you have young children, you’re faced with what to share with them and how to share it. It is important to realize that

Questions Every Cancer Patient Should Ask

Question #1: Can you repeat that? Getting diagnosed with cancer is like walking through a hurricane. Winds are swirling all around and you’re just trying to stay on your feet.

Surprising Facts About Cancer

I enjoy speaking with groups about cancer. I usually talk about my personal experiences and then describe cancer more generally and answer questions. After doing this for more than ten

Good Cancers and Bad Cancers

I routinely talk with people who have just been diagnosed with cancer. They’re struggling with treatment decisions and the realization that life is suddenly different. I also talk with people

History of Breast Cancer Advocacy

Being diagnosed with breast cancer today is an entirely different experience than it was just 30 years ago. While partly due to advances in medicine, many significant changes are the

¿Se le puede hacer estas preguntas a su médico?

A menudo pasa que uno se puede sentir irritado con su mismo al salir de la oficina de su médico sin hacerle preguntas que le quería preguntar. A veces esto

La Fatiga Asociada con el Tener el Cáncer

Cuando se piensa del impacto secundario al tener el tratamiento para cáncer, a menudo se piensa de la perdida de cabello (que es común con algunos tipos de quimioterapia) y

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