Clara Mae Cirk opens up about her journey and utilizing social media as an outlet to teach others.
Finishing chemotherapy was an emotional milestone, marked by pleasure, gratitude, and even frustration, in accordance with Clara Mae Cirk, a 30-year-old lady who was recognized with stage 4 lung most cancers.
Regardless of ending chemotherapy, she says that the continuing nature of immunotherapy makes it troublesome to establish as a “survivor” and reconcile life after remedy. To manage, social media turned a therapeutic outlet, resulting in her “Questions with Clara” collection, which educates others, shares private experiences, and amplifies voices of these much less comfy talking publicly.
Circk opens up about her most cancers journey and utilizing social media as an outlet to teach others in an interview with CURE.
You possibly can observe Clara and her journey on TikTok and Instagram @C_Cirks. On these platforms, she brazenly solutions questions on her analysis and remedy, shares updates on her situation, and creates a secure area for others with most cancers to have an trustworthy dialogue about their illness.
CURE: Many sufferers describe a mixture of feelings after they full chemotherapy, particularly when ringing the bell. How did it really feel to succeed in that milestone as somebody with stage 4 illness, and what feelings got here with ringing the bell?
Circk: I did six rounds of chemo, they usually did not have a bell, so I used to be fairly bummed about that. The nurses all signed a certificates for me with their names, which was good. I took an image with the certificates, after which I obtained a video of me after they de-accessed my port for the final time for chemo. I used to be similar to, “Yay!” That was thrilling and emotional for me, as a result of I had been trying ahead to that day for therefore lengthy. I had simply had a 10-day hospital keep previous to that, so I used to be simply excited to get it achieved and over with. Then I ended up again within the hospital after my final spherical of chemo, which was additionally type of a bummer.
For me, it is laborious as a result of that day ought to have felt like the top of remedy. However since [I have] stage 4 illness, I will likely be on immunotherapy indefinitely, probably for the remainder of my life. That’s type of troublesome for me to wrap my head round, as a result of I nonetheless have to return to my most cancers heart and get the infusion, and nonetheless have my port accessed each three weeks. That’s type of laborious to steadiness “Am I achieved with remedy?” or “Does this qualify as remedy nonetheless, with immunotherapy perpetually?”
The phrase ‘survivor’ would not actually resonate with me, actually. I’ve a tough time utilizing that phrase as a result of I in all probability won’t ever really feel that sense of survivorship, I assume. It is laborious for me to see different survivors. Everybody will get their hair again they usually look regular; they type of return to actuality. I really feel like I will by no means get there. That’s overwhelming to me and upsetting and simply plenty of feelings to work via, understanding that I will in all probability by no means get again to my outdated self or my regular.
So, it is only a lot to wrap my head round.
Your “Questions with Clara” collection on social media have resonated with so many. What impressed you to start out sharing your most cancers journey so brazenly on social media?
I’ve all the time achieved this foolish factor on my personal Instagram story of speaking to my followers and pretending I am an influencer. I began doing it a very long time in the past and simply stored it to my shut mates listing on Instagram. It was only a approach for me to dump my emotions out, and it was very therapeutic for me simply to take a seat on digital camera and discuss stuff.
When this all occurred, I believed, “What higher strategy to course of all the things than to simply report myself and discuss stuff?” I obtained type of uninterested in explaining all the things to my family and friends, so it was simply an academic approach for me to say, “Hey, watch this video if you wish to know what my remedy is true now, or what a part of the method I am in.” It was a a lot simpler strategy to simply ship a hyperlink and clarify issues slightly than retyping the identical factor time and again. So, yeah, I feel that is the place it got here from.
I additionally really feel like I observed lots of people, as soon as I used to be recognized, began connecting with me on social media. I observed they have been posting movies about their journey, and that basically impressed me as a result of I needed to speak about my story and the way that is totally different or the identical or no matter. I noticed all these folks going to those conferences and stuff, and I need to do stuff like that, like public talking engagements and totally different occasions and advocacy.
That’s what motivated me to start out the collection, too, as a result of I need to become involved in stuff. I am simply discovering that doing all that’s extra of my true goal in life. I discovered it to be fulfilling to speak about my story and assist others.
I need to be a voice for individuals who aren’t as comfy talking up and speaking. I do know lots of people are shy about sharing their experiences or what they have been via, particularly when it entails uncomfortable subjects that I typically cowl in my questions. I do know that not all people feels nice about speaking about these issues in a public area, so I do not thoughts doing it.
What have been a number of the most significant moments of assist that you’ve acquired from the group, on-line or offline, all through your most cancers remedy?
It all the time feels good after I get a remark just like the one I obtained yesterday: “You have been one of many first most cancers creators I adopted after I was recognized, and I’ve actually loved studying from you.” Which means quite a bit to me as a result of the entire level is that if I may also help only one individual, it is price it. So, it is impactful to me that any person took the time to inform me that and specific their appreciation.
I additionally suppose it is useful once we, as most cancers sufferers, share one another’s Venmo or GoFundMe hyperlinks and different sources. It helps get the phrase on the market and helps a fellow affected person.
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
References
- “Ending Chemo with Stage 4 Lung Most cancers: Going through Hope and Uncertainty,” by Clara Cirks. CURE. Video; Aug. 6, 2025. https://www.curetoday.com/view/finishing-chemo-with-stage-4-lung-cancer-facing-hope-and-uncertainty
- “Utilizing Social Media to Amplify the Affected person Voice and Advocacy,” by Clara Cirks. CURE. Video; Aug 8, 2025. https://www.curetoday.com/view/using-social-media-to-amplify-the-patient-voice-and-advocacy
For extra information on most cancers updates, analysis and training, don’t overlook to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters right here.
