Facing Cancer: The Beginning of My Journey
Hello, and welcome. My name is Ken Brown, and this is the beginning of a very personal story, one I never thought I’d share, let alone write publicly. But I believe stories hold power, especially the ones we’re scared to tell. And this one... is about cancer.
At 64 years old, I’ve lived a full, beautiful, complicated life. I’ve been blessed with a strong, loving marriage for over 22 years. I’m the proud father of my daughter, Iris, and the even prouder grandfather of her two-year-old daughter, who lights up my world. But life hasn’t always been kind and I haven’t always known how to talk about the hard parts.
When I was 35, I lost my first wife to cancer. That loss was life-shattering. It changed me in ways that only those who’ve faced grief can understand. And when I was diagnosed with cancer myself years later, that old wound reopened but something in me had changed. This time, I chose to face the journey differently.
A Journey I Didn't Plan, But One I’m Ready to Share
This blog series is about that journey not just the diagnosis or the treatment, but everything in between. The fear. The side effects. The small wins. The spiritual moments. The things I wish someone had told me. And most importantly, the unexpected strength that rises when you decide you’re not going to let cancer define you.
I’m not here to sugarcoat anything. Cancer treatment, especially radiation, is brutal. I did the research. I knew what was coming. Or at least, I thought I did.
No one truly prepares you for what it’s like to stop eating because the pain in your throat is unbearable. No one prepares you for the feeding tube, or the fatigue that feels like a weight pressing down on your entire body. The side effects became the real battle. They didn’t just test my body, they tested my faith, my patience, and my identity.
Why I’m Speaking Now
I’ve had three moments in my life where I felt a divine presence three messages that came to me as a teenager. One of them was that I’d be alone at 35. That came true when I lost my wife. Another was that I’d pass at 83. That one’s not here yet and I have every intention of living fully until then.
This blog, and the video series that goes with it, are part of that full life. I’m telling this story now because someone out there might be going through something similar. Maybe you just got diagnosed. Maybe you’re a caregiver. Maybe you’re grieving someone who didn’t make it.
If that’s you. I want you to know you’re not alone.
In the next few posts, I’ll be sharing the things no one talks about the side effects that catch you off guard, the emotional toll, the strange beauty that sometimes shows up in the darkest moments, and the honest truth about healing.
This is just the beginning.
Stay with me.
– Ken
