The Internet can be a scary place… Miley Cyrus discussions, beauty pageant contestants and cancer statistics.

Cancer has been on this planet a long time. Early cancer descriptions were found on Egyptian papyrus and Hippocrates, “father of medicine”, has been credited with recognizing the difference between benign and malignant tumors. And one family of dinosaurs, the Hadrosaurus (a duck-billed herbivore cousin of T-Rex), had cancer.

But what does the Internet have to say about *my* cancer – cervical cancer:

• The National Cancer Institute shows that in 2013, there were 12,340 new cases of cervical cancer and 4,030 deaths.
• Cervical cancer tends to occur in midlife.
• The American Cancer Society says that cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer deaths for American women but because of advancements in the Pap test, there was a 70% decline in deaths between 1955 and 1992. (What about the years after 1992??)

I am a huge advocate for gaining knowledge and the Internet can be a great tool. However, for a newly diagnosed cancer patient, it brought me fear and anxiety.

None of the information on the Internet has made my cancer disappear and none of it has made it stay. After living with cancer for two years, I focus my Internet searches to cancer blogs, You Tube videos on applying eyebrows and general cancer support in my area. And yes, cute animal videos and heart-warming stories of human kindness.