This past year has stretched me, strengthened me, and surprised me in ways I never expected. When I look back at the miles traveled, the hotel nights, the early-morning flights, and the countless rooms filled with oncology professionals, one word rises above all the others: growth. And wrapped around that growth—from the first boarding pass to the final slide deck is an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
In April, I was given one of the most meaningful opportunities of my professional life: presenting at ONS Congress in Denver. The session on oncology sexual health and the role of the oncology sexual health specialist was, for me, the moment I planted a flag at the top of a mountain I have been climbing for nearly 11 years. For more than a decade, I have been advocating, educating, nudging, and sometimes pushing cancer care forward to include sexual health as a critical component of whole-person care. Standing on that stage felt like both a milestone and a beginning. There is certainly so much more work to do….but the conversation is showing up routinely now!
Since that experience, I’ve had the privilege of speaking across the nation. I still don’t consider myself a “professional public speaker,” so stepping into this role has required me to stretch my own confidence. I’ve had to trust that the passion I carry will shine through the anxiety, the imposter syndrome, and the self-doubt. I’ve learned to slow down, to find clarity, and to honor the weight of every word I deliver. And every time I am invited to gather with oncology nurses—to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and move this conversation forward—I feel deeply honored. Being given a place at someone else’s table is a gift, and I am committed to showing up with enthusiasm, intention, and respect.
My message is simple, but it is not easy: cancer and cancer treatment alter identity, body integrity, agency, sexual health, and intimate relationships. These truths have existed for decades. Our patients have been living them for decades. And yet, collective progress in addressing sexual wellness in real time has been painfully slow. I am on a mission to change that – because it matters. Because sexual wellness is not a luxury. It is a vital part of quality of life, personhood, and connection.
With somewhere between 60–100% of cancer patients experiencing some form of sexual challenge after treatment, we cannot continue to treat this topic as optional, or as I recently heard “a nice to have”. In fact, this reality pushes me to keep my schedule full in 2026—to keep expanding this conversation, empowering clinicians, and advocating for the people behind the diagnoses.
As I enter this Thanksgiving season, I am carrying gratitude for every state line crossed, every community that welcomed me, every person who shared their story, and every conference, hospital, and organization that gave my voice a home this year. Last night, I closed my 2025 speaking season with the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation. To the gentlemen who invited me in, listened with vulnerability, and helped me end the year on a note of connection—thank you.
Here’s to growth.
Here’s to gratitude.
And here’s to continuing the conversation—loudly, compassionately, and unapologetically—in the year ahead.
Take Peace, Traci