Cancer
from the journal
Intelligence Isn’t Wisdom (And Other Things Cancer Taught Me)

I can understand a medical explanation and still fall apart in a parking lot ten minutes later. That used to confuse me, mostly because it felt irrational. I assumed knowledge would do most of the emotional heavy lifting. If I could learn enough, ask enough questions, follow the plan precisely,...

Radiation Recovery and the Mental Fog No One Warns You About
Over a year after head and neck radiation, I still experience cognitive fog—quiet, persistent, and hard to explain unless you’ve lived through it. This isn’t ADHD. It isn’t distraction. It’s recovery. And some days, it feels like trying to think through glass....
Amber Tripp Perez crossing the finish line at the Chicago Fight for Air Climb at Soldier Field
From Breathless to Unstoppable – I Climbed 3 Times!

A little over a year ago, I was coming up the stairs from my basement when I had to stop halfway. I remember sitting down, winded and disoriented, wondering why something so simple felt suddenly impossible. At the time, I didn’t know that a tumor was growing in my nasal...

Amber Tripp Perez prepares for the Fight for Air Climb at Soldier Field in Chicago, hosted by the American Lung Association
Climbing Toward Something New: Why the Fight for Air Climb Matters to Me
After months of recovery on my own journey, I’m taking on the Fight for Air Climb at Soldier Field—not just to raise funds, but to reclaim something personal. This is about healing, purpose, and turning trauma into action....
Amber Tripp Perez smiling with an Imerman Angels Mentor Angel badge displayed
News: I’m So Excited to Announce That I’m Now an Imerman Angel Mentor—Here’s Why It Means So Much to Me
After surviving nasal cancer and facial reconstruction, I found strength in a peer who had lived it too. Now, I’m proud to be that person for someone else—as an Imerman Angel Mentor....
No One Gets Out Unscathed: Finding Strength in the Scratch Marks
This isn’t a post about survival. It’s about aftermath. About how we grow in the marks life leaves on us, and why strength doesn’t mean healing without evidence....
Why I Stopped Romanticizing ‘High Functioning’ Anything
High functioning isn’t a compliment—it’s a mask. This post explores the hidden toll of pushing through, performing, and proving you're fine, even when you're not....
Why I Stopped Waiting for Normal to Come Back
After illness, loss, or any major shift, it’s tempting to wait for life to reset. I did that for a while. This post is about what changed when I stopped—and what I’m creating in the meantime....
Rebuilding a Face, Rebuilding a Life: How I’m Designing the Next Version of Me
This isn’t just about surgery—it’s about identity. As I reconstruct my face, I’m also redesigning my sense of self. Here’s what I’m learning about resilience, aesthetics, and starting again on your own terms....
The Unwritten Chapter: Learning to Lead When You Don’t Feel Like Yourself
There are seasons where you lead through fog. This post explores what it means to lead when you feel unlike yourself—and why honesty, clarity, and gentleness become your greatest assets....