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CEDAR HILLS — "Please, no. This can't be happening. My kids need me."
The fear and disbelief that Elizabeth Dalton felt after receiving her breast cancer diagnosis in 2019 have likely been shared by millions of others who have been impacted by the disease. But her story also has its unique elements, and now she's drawing upon those experiences to help others.
Dalton's personal journey with cancer began in 1989 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. As the only child living at home at the time, she struggled to cope with the sorrow when her mother passed away two years later. Tragedy struck the family again in 2012, when Dalton's father died from prostate cancer.
Seven years after the loss of her parents, Dalton, of Cedar Hills, received her own diagnosis and faced the battle of her life without them by her side.
"My mom passed away when I was 8 years old," she said. "I immediately thought of my oldest daughter being only 8, and it felt like too much. I had been the kid who lost her mom, and this couldn't be happening to my kids. But I knew my story could be different, so I held onto that hope."
Much of the hope in Dalton's life came through connecting with other women who had walked her same path. A recent cancer survivor in the neighborhood added her to an inspiring Facebook group called Lifting Hearts. Another friend connected Dalton with a family member who was undergoing the same treatment plan.
"Something incredible about being diagnosed with cancer is the people," says Dalton. "People reach out in so many helpful ways and also connect you with others who have faced something similar. Those people are gold."
A few months after Dalton finished with active treatment, she received a call from a longtime friend. Through tears, the friend said that she'd just found out that she had breast cancer. The two women cried together, and Dalton offered all the comfort and support possible over the phone.
Afterward, Dalton and her children created a care package for that friend and her family.
"One of my kids drew a big heart on a piece of paper," Dalton recalled. "I saw it and thought about how at that moment, I wanted to tuck my friend safely into my heart. So I wrote the words, 'You are here,' inside the heart. I just needed her to know how much I cared."
That heart-centered message in the care package then became the name for Dalton's new project: You Are Here guided cancer binders.
When Dalton, now 39, first received her breast cancer diagnosis, a friend had given her a three-ring binder with some pocket folders and lined paper. While she didn't initially realize its significance, she began taking the binder to every appointment as she jotted down notes and analyzed her treatment options. It became a crucial hub as she planned her journey and stored the mountain of paperwork related to her treatments.
Something incredible about being diagnosed with cancer is the people.
–Elizabeth Dalton
Inspired by this thoughtful gift, and now in remission herself, Dalton is now seeking to provide a resource for others who are battling cancer.
"I've had so many people reach out and ask me what they could do for someone who was recently diagnosed," she explained. "I always say, 'Get them a binder.' Which then gave me the idea to create a comprehensive binder to help someone through all things cancer and remind them that they are not alone because they have people cheering them on."
Bringing her You Are Here project to life has been a journey of its own, but Dalton has now found a cost-effective printing solution and is able to sell the binders from her Etsy shop. With a meditation guide, questions list, treatment plan, calendar, medical information pages and sections for notes and journaling, Dalton hopes her binders will help guide cancer patients from diagnosis, through treatment and into recovery. She has also written a free "guide through breast cancer" that can be downloaded online. And Dalton, who calls herself "a survivor and thriver," shares insights and inspirational messages on Instagram at @youarehere.xo.
And the response has been heartwarming.
"I've had so many people reach out in support," said Dalton. "Helping other cancer patients has in many ways healed me from my own trauma and heartache. It's made me realize that good can come from even our hardest trials. Hopefully, something I'm doing will have an impact and make a difference for people going through a hard time. I truly hope so."
