Finding Joy After Breast Cancer
No one ever wants to hear the “C” word, yet being diagnosed with cancer is a reality for far too many. Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed or are in remission, it might feel like life will never be the same, and that you may not be able to feel truly happy again.
While life really may never be the same, you can find joy again. It might just look a little different.
We sat down with Ink 4 Pink founder Corina Klein – who was diagnosed just over 5 years ago and has been in remission since September 2020 – and we learned what has helped her find happiness and meaning in her life.
When – if ever – did you start to feel like you were back to your “old self” post-cancer?
The truth is—life doesn’t go back to how it was. It becomes something different. At first, I waited for a day when I’d wake up and feel like “me” again. But what I discovered is that healing doesn’t mean returning to the old version of yourself—it means embracing who you are now, scars and all. For me, it took around two years before the fear stopped showing up daily. Even now, it occasionally taps me on the shoulder. But I’ve learned to live alongside it, rather than in its shadow.
One of the hardest parts of survivorship was accepting how treatment changed my body. The side effects were more than temporary—they lingered. Fatigue didn’t vanish with the last round of chemo. Brain fog didn’t clear overnight. Joint pain and weight gain—caused by medications, hormone shifts, and just plain survival—felt like a daily reminder that I was no longer in control. I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror, and at times, many times I resented that. It wasn’t just about vanity—it was about identity.
Learning to love the body that got me through cancer, rather than mourn the one I had before it, has been a long and ongoing journey. Some days I still struggle. But I try to remind myself: this body carried me through hell and back. It’s worthy of grace, of patience, and yes—of love.
What are some of the things that have helped you find happiness post-cancer?
Helping others has been huge for me. Founding Ink 4 Pink gave me a way to transform something painful into something powerful. Being part of a community that understands what this journey feels like—seeing the light and confidence come back into those that have benefited from the funding of life changing tattoos we provided — has brought me so much happiness.
Also: Gratitude. It sounds cliché, but when you’ve faced your own mortality, even an ordinary day feels like a gift.
Are there any activities in particular that have helped bring you joy?
Yes. Going to the gym, being outdoors, traveling with my amazing husband, volunteering, laughing with friends, hugging my kids and family longer than necessary. All the little things I used to take for granted. I also found joy in reclaiming parts of myself cancer tried to take—my femininity, my strength, my energy. It feels like an act of resistance, and of joy.
What are some coping mechanisms you used to deal with your emotions both during and after treatment?
During treatment, I let myself cry when I needed to and asked for help—even when I didn’t want to. I tried to keep a positive mindset, even on the hardest days, by reminding myself that what I was going through was going to be OK, even if it didn’t feel that way in the moment.
After treatment, I leaned on those same tools—but also found strength in the friendships I made because of cancer. There’s something powerful about being connected to people who just get it. We often call it “the sisterhood you never wanted to be part of,” but now that we are, it’s unbreakable. Those connections have become a lifeline, a source of strength and understanding that helps carry me through.
How do you remain optimistic after facing trauma?
I don’t force optimism, but I do choose hope. Hope lets me keep moving, even on hard days. I try to focus on what I can control, to find meaning in what I’ve been through, and to keep showing up for others—because they keep showing up for me. Optimism, for me, isn’t pretending everything is fine. It’s believing that whatever comes, I’ll find a way through it—and that I’m not alone.
What words of wisdom do you have for others on how to find joy after both diagnosis and treatment?
Start small. Joy doesn’t always come rushing back—it returns in whispers. A good cup of coffee. A moment of peace. A laugh you didn’t see coming. Let those little things count. And remember: You are not your diagnosis. Cancer is something that happened to you, not who you are. Your life is still yours to shape, with joy at the center, however you define it.
