Finding Strength in Story

Writing Circle Wednesdays Support Cancer Survivors Through Creative Expression

For cancer survivors and those in the midst of treatment, healing is rarely confined to medicine. Emotional support, community connection, and opportunities for reflection are just as critical. Through this program, patients with cancer in our community are finding all three through a unique program called Writing Circle Wednesdays—a weekly online writing group led by Ana McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective.

Held via Zoom and offered free of charge, the group is small by design—limited to just ten participants—and open to anyone touched by cancer. In this safe and intimate space, participants respond to writing prompts drawn from poetry and photography, explore personal experiences, and share what they've written with one another.

The result is a sense of solidarity and healing that goes far beyond words. When Ana thinks about the evolution of the group, there is one quote from a former participant that sticks with her. 

“Living with cancer is a lonely journey,” Ana recalls the participant saying. “Only those who have been or are on that same journey truly understand the emotions, fears, and challenges we face each day. I don’t feel quite as alone as I did.”

A Philosophy Rooted in Compassion

Ana’s connection to cancer is deeply personal. In 2008, after losing two close friends to cancer, she began leading similar writing groups in California through WomenCare, a nonprofit offering support to women with cancer. She eventually moved back to Ames and, in 2021, launched the Ames Writers Collective. As her original plans for a physical space stalled during COVID, Ana pivoted to using Zoom to do what had always been meaningful: leading writing groups for those navigating a cancer diagnosis.

She approached the William R. Bliss Cancer Resource Center with a proposal. With the support of the Mary Greeley Foundation, Writing Circle Wednesdays took shape.

“This type of writing is intended to get at the heart of things,” Ana says. “Participants don’t have to write about their cancer. But inevitably, insights emerge—about resilience, gratitude, grief, joy, even transformation.”

A Place to Connect, Create, and Heal

Rachel Lohafer is a two-time cancer survivor and regular attendee of Writing Circle Wednesdays. She found the group through a flyer at the Cancer Resource Center and was quickly drawn to its unique approach.

“I’ve always been drawn to writing, but this helped me connect in a new way,” she says. “It’s not just about writing. It’s about creativity, community, and healing.”

Rachel notes that while participants rarely write directly about their cancer experiences, the act of writing still opens a door to reflection and growth. “We write from prompts—sometimes a poem, sometimes a photograph—and we go wherever it takes us. It might be about loneliness, joy, childhood memories. But in that process, something always shifts.”

The Zoom format has been another unexpected gift, especially for those undergoing treatment. “Some people have Zoomed in from as far away as Arizona. Others from their homes when they’re not feeling well. It’s accessible, which is so important.”

Building a Legacy of Support

As Ana explains, the power of these groups lies not only in expression, but in the relationships they cultivate.

“We’ve laughed and cried together. We’ve experienced loss together—three of our writers have died in the past year and a half,” she says. “But we keep showing up, writing, listening. And that makes all the difference.”

The group is open to those across the spectrum when it comes to experience, from those just beginning to put pen to paper to participants who have been writing for years.

“As Ana tells us, ‘Everyone is a writer’,” Rachel says.

The support of the Mary Greeley Foundation has helped sustain this work and ensure it remains free and accessible. That commitment to whole-person care—meeting people not just where they are physically, but emotionally—is central to the Foundation’s mission.

“I’m so grateful for the Foundation’s support,” Ana says. “This work changes lives, and I look forward to continuing it with their partnership.”

A Circle That Continues to Grow

For Rachel and her fellow writers, the Wednesday sessions are now a highlight of their week. 

“It’s a friendship group, really,” she says. “We support one another, and we inspire each other. I hope it continues for a long, long time.” 

To learn more about Writing Circle Wednesdays or to register, visit the Ames Writers Collective calendar at ameswriterscollective.org.