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Inspirational Cancer Quotes
When you or someone you know is going through cancer, words of inspiration can uplift and even provide a mantra for living. We've compiled some of our favorite cancer quotes here. If you know of any words of inspiration or quotes for cancer patients that we missed, please review and share your favorite quotes below!
"The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it."
~C.C. Scott
"You can be a victim of cancer, or a survivor of cancer. It's a mindset."
~Dave Pelzer
"Cancer is a word, not a sentence."
~John Diamond
"Once you choose hope, anything's possible."
~Christopher Reeve
"Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death."
~Anonymous
"Seeds of faith are always within us; sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth."
~Susan Taylor
"One day at a time, one step at a time. Do what you can, do your best. Let God handle the rest."
~Michelle Jones
"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
~Ruth Ann Schabacker
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
~Louisa May Alcott
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you."
~Isaiah 43:2
"My cancer scare changed my life. I’m grateful for every new, healthy day I have. It has helped me prioritize my life."
~Olivia Newton-John
"For every mountain there is a miracle."
~Robert H. Schuller
"Whatever you do, hold on to hope. The tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord. Let hope anchor you in the possibility that this is not the end of your story, that change will bring you to peaceful shores."
~Unknown
"There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet."
~William Frederick Halsey, Jr.
"No matter what the statistics say, there is always a way."
~Bernie Siegel
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain."
~Vivian Greene
"Stand in your light and shine brightly because that is how you defeat darkness."
~Leslie Esperanza Espaillat
"It's about focusing on the fight and not the fright."
~Robin Roberts
"Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you've ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were."
~Unknown
"Believe you can and you're halfway there."
~Theodore Roosevelt
"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
~Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Faith is daring to go beyond what the eyes can see."
~Anonymous
"Adversity is just change that we haven't adapted ourselves to yet."
~Aimee Mullins
"Don't count the days, make the days count."
~Muhammad Ali
"The experienced mount climber is not intimidated by a mountain - he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem - he is challenged by it. Mountains are created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be defeated; problems are sent to be solved. It is better to master one mountain than a thousand foothills."
~William Arthur Ward
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
~Muriel Strode
"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present."
~Buddha
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance."
~Anonymous
"Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings."
~Ralph Blum
"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start."
~Nido Qubein
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."
~Winston Churchill
"Every strike brings me closer to the next home run."
~Babe Ruth
"Cancer is a journey, but you walk the road alone. There are many places to stop along the way and get nourishment - you just have to be willing to take it."
~Emily Hollenberg
"The most important thing in illness is never to lose heart."
~Nikolai Lenin
"You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."
~Christopher Columbus
"Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats."
~Voltaire
"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, "I'm possible!"
~Audrey Hepburn
"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
~Joshua J. Marine
"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
~Booker T. Washington
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
~Maya Angelou
"It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years."
~Abraham Lincoln
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
~George Eliot
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you can never see the shadow."
~Helen Keller
"Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it."
~Charles Swindoll
"Do what you can, where you are, with what you have."
~Teddy Roosevelt
"Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail."
~Charles Kettering
"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace & gratitude."
~Denis Waitley
"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
~Albert Einstein
"Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.”
~Anonymous
"The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow. For every challenge encountered there is opportunity for growth.”
~Unknown
"Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. it means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections."
~Anonymous
"Just remember there is someone out there that is more than happy with less than what you have.”
~Anonymous
"Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."
~Anonymous
"I’m here. That’s the miracle I’ve been looking for."
~Brian Vaszily
"Life has two rules: #1 Never quit #2 Always remember rule # 1.”
~Anonymous
"Every man dies. Not every man really lives."
~William Wallace
"Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"While there’s life, there’s hope.”
~Cicero
"It is not length of life, but depth of life.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
~Anais Nin
“Today’s caterpillars are tomorrow’s butterflies.”
~Matshona Dhilwayo
“When you see an obstacle approaching, grab your courage and speed up.”
~Angela Lynne Craig
"Love and laughter are two of the most important universal cancer treatments on the planet. Overdose on them.”
~Tanya Masse
“I have cancer. Cancer doesn't have me.”
~Marco Calderon
“The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you raise your foot.”
~Benny Lewis
“Cancer can touch you, but not your soul; neither your thoughts, nor your heart.”
~Vikrmn
"Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.”
~Samuel Smiles
“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.”
~Lance Armstrong
"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow."
~Orison Swett Marden
"The potential within you is greater than the obstacles around you.”
~Matshona Dhliwayo
“Tears are the sweat of champions.”
~Matshona Dhliwayo
"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”
~Helen Keller
“Your deepest valleys lead you to your highest mountaintops.”
~Matshona Dhliwayo
"Hope will never be silent."
~Harvey Milk
“There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent, or hinder, or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”
~Hyrum Smith
"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light."
~Helen Keller
“Cancer is WAY too serious to be taken seriously all the time.”
~Tanya Masse
"While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done.”
~Helen Keller
Do you know of any quotes we missed? What words of inspiration should we share with cancer patients? Please take a moment to leave us your feedback below.
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Comments, Questions & Ratings
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I believe this quote is from Mark Twain. Courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it. (Posted on 09/25/2023)
"Women are like teabags; you never know how strong a woman is until she is put in hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt (Posted on 10/12/2022)
I'm under treatment for Glioblastoma cancer and have a prescription for a wig. Do you folks accept these? Can you tell me what I would owe for the Modern Curls Wig by TressAllure ? (Posted on 03/16/2022)
Since January 2018, I have been cancer- and lesion-free. I would never choose to go through this battle, but I choose to see the blessings in the experience of having cancer. I learned to listen to my body and advocate for myself. I learned that it’s okay to get a second opinion. I learned that I have countless family and friends who are here to support me, sitting with me during chemo, driving me to radiation, watching my children, cooking meals, laughing with me, crying with me, advocating for me when I didn’t have the ability to do so on my own. And in the case of my mom, doing anything and everything I needed, sometimes even before I knew I needed it. But most of all I learned that I am strong. Every time I thought I couldn’t make it, I couldn’t go on, every time I wanted to give up, I dug deeper. I kept finding more strength. (Posted on 02/01/2022)
This information is very useful for us, thank you for giving breast cancer related information. (Posted on 11/19/2021)
March 22,2021. Beautiful words. Putting them on post-its through the house to keep me going. Thank you for the encouragement everyone. (Posted on 03/22/2021)
I have won my fight with Breast Cancer twice......my saying now is " I HAD CANCER.. ...IT DID NOT HAVE ME Chemo is like a strong army and it takes a strong army to fight Cancer, so love your strong army , you don't have to like it but you do have to love it , so smile and be happy that you have the Chemo army fighting this fight with you (Posted on 06/02/2020)
When receiving treatment, whether through shots, infusion, or take-home pump (and with every "zap" of radiation ), I talk to the medicine, or rays (silently, if others are present), saying, "Hello! Welcome to my body. Thank you for helping to heal me. I love you. We are one." During quiet times at home, I repeat, out loud, up to thirty minutes at a time, "There is no cancer in my body. Cancer will never return to my body." Nine months ago, at age sixty-nine, I was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. All indications are that I will be in remission in about three months. I believe in God and in the sheer will of the mind. Stay positive. Believe. Never use words that indicate there could be less than a positive outcome. Never, "I hope it will happen." Always, "It will happen." Stay strong. Be well. God bless. (Posted on 03/27/2020)
I just can’t cry anymore It hurts in my heart I want the pain gone I want to wake up and not remember This weight on my soul I want to know you will be here in a year, two, three and four That you will be here to celebrate every milestone along our way That your counsel could be sought That your laughter could be shared I want to know That’s what will pass The fear of losing you is consuming, suffocating and painful But I must be strong I must remember You are alive I have not lost you You won’t waste to this disease You can fight it You will win! (Posted on 12/13/2019)
so great love these quotes (Posted on 08/11/2018)
Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from Overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't. (Posted on 08/09/2018)
“The path to the end is only fearful if your courage and faith dwindle. Life on earth is useless so, eat, drink, enjoy your work and obey God! Those close to me that have lead the way showed me happiness in this life, dignity in death and the acceptance of eternal life after. When it’s my time, I’ll will follow them with dignity and joy knowing I will be with God, Jesus and all forever. Selah!” Jax (Posted on 07/25/2018)
These are great! I am going through cancer & chemo, & they really cheered me up!!! Thanks for the quotes ???????? (Posted on 04/08/2018)
These are some great , heartfelt, quotes!!! I am going through Cancer & chemo & this really cheered me up! Thanks so much! (Posted on 04/08/2018)
One of my favorites, "Time is a seamstress specializing in alterations." I am a passionate quilter who has lost the use of my right arm because of a breast cancer tumor pressing against all the nerves to my arm and hand--now learning to be a "lefty". Thanks for all the quotes. Helen Keller especially spoke to me! (Posted on 03/04/2017)
I loved this atypical selection of cancer quotes. My mom is going through chemo treatments and I will be using many of these for a project we are making to inspire her. These are perfect because they aren't too long and are easy to remember. (Posted on 10/20/2016)
Best collection of quotes I've found. I've been looking for some inspiration for a card I'm making for my sister who has stage II breast cancer. It's going to be hard to decide which ones I like the best! (Posted on 09/20/2016)
Thank you for compiling these words of encouragement. I love so many of them. (Posted on 09/14/2016)
What a great collection of quotes. I am making a scrapbook for my mother in law who has breast cancer and will be incorporating many of these. (Posted on 01/05/2015)