Local cancer survivor, Paul Savage, Jr., has released a cancer journey journal, titled My Cancer Journey Journal.
Savage was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer in February of 2020, right before the pandemic hit and the world changed immensely. It made for a scary and difficult time when his future was uncertain and he wasn’t sure from day to day if his parents, family, or friends would be able to be with him throughout the treatment.
Savage explains that he received an abundant amount of messages wondering how his treatment was going and offering support. While undergoing a rigorous chemotherapy treatment and major surgery, it was difficult to keep up with the inundated amount of messages and comments on social media.
His response? He created an online blog, called Fight Like A Savage, where he regularly journaled about his experience to keep family and friends updated.
“The blog began as a way to keep everyone updated on my journey and thank them for their support,” said Savage. “My low stamina just didn’t allow me to thank everyone or answer each message personally. I felt this was the next best thing.”
His blog ended up gaining international attention, with mothers, daughters, girlfriends, and other cancer patients reaching out to him. It was completely unexpected.
“People began using the experiences that I shared to learn how they could better care for their loved ones,” shared Savage. “Other recently diagnosed men reached out to get an idea of what they could expect and for advice.”
After seeing the response to the blog, he took the blog posts and published them as his debut memoir, “Diary of A Testicular Cancer Survivor.” The book, currently available on Amazon, became an Amazon best-seller and lead him to his next decision.
The book really allowed Savage to see how far he had come and help others in the same situation. People as far away as Oman, a country on the Arabian peninsula, reached out to Savage and thanked him for sharing his journey, explaining that it made theirs a little easier. Others expressed their regrets about not chronicling their own journey.
After hearing this reaction frequently, Savage took the basic idea for each of his original blog posts and designed a cancer journey that would allow others to chronicle their experience.
My Cancer Journey Journal is a hardcover journal that has space for up to 75 days of treatment, with the ability to mark how you’re feeling, your thoughts, the day’s treatment and more. Each day also includes an optimistic and uplifting quote to help get patients through the hardest days.
