For Janay Cosner of Mayville, her journey includes writing a play that will be staged in mid-August in Westfield.

“Dancing with Breast Cancer” was written by Cosner following a book of poems she wrote under the same name during her time fighting breast cancer. The play is set to be performed at the Lakeshore Center for the Arts, 49 S. Portage St., Westfield, on Aug 16, 17 and 18. On Aug 16 and 17 the play begins at 7 p.m. and on Aug 18 it begins at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at lakeshorecenterforthearts.com/events/dancing-with-breast-cancer.

Cosner was diagnosed with breast cancer type two-a 10 years ago. During her time going through doctors appointments, MRIs, surgeries, chemotherapy and everything else she wrote 400 poems about her experience.

“Writing helped me in the middle of the night or while I was waiting for doctors,” Cosner said. “I wrote 400 poems, but there are 110 in the book.”

One of Cosner’s watercolors, “Sisterhood”, based on one of her poems that showcases how women with breast cancer become a community after being diagnosed.

A few years later Cosner took some poetry classes with Chautauqua Institution, and with the help of a few more famous poets she put her book together. Since then, Cosner has had many readings and books sold, and in 2019 her friend convinced her to turn the book into a play.

“It was produced in Naples, Fla., and had great success there,” Cosner said. “We were going to do it the year after, but couldn’t because of COVID. I live there for six months of the year and up here the other six and when I came back I joined the Westfield Writing Group and they were very excited and wanted to do the play this year.”

Cosner has also watercolor painted six different paintings about her journey to go along with the book and play that will be on display during the performance. This is a story for any woman who has gone through the same experience, she said.

“I wrote this play for all women who have gone through breast cancer,” Cosner said. “I wrote it for their caretakers and their doctors. I have a review on the back of the book from an oncologist that says they never knew what women with breast cancer went through before they read my book.”

The book of poems and the play are snapshots of Cosner’s experience, she said. The poems range from funny to sad to pretty, and are a “defiant dance” that show Cosner is not a “sit back survivor”, she said.

Another of Cosner’s watercolors, based on her poem “Ballerina” on page five in the book.

“I feel like I have unzipped myself,” Cosner said. “The play is set in four parts with the first being diagnosed with breast cancer, the second chemo, the third radiation and the fourth my new normal.”

Cosner’s overall experience with breast cancer has taught her many life lessons, she said, including “don’t sweat the small stuff” and “live each day fully”.

“You are stronger than you think,” Cosner said. “Dance fast and furious through life. And at the end of the play I come out and I dance.”

The play is directed by Tina Rausa, and includes many “wonderful” actresses from the area, Cosner said. She added that people should be interested in coming to see the play in August to see what women with breast cancer go through.

“People should be interested in seeing the journey that women with breast cancer go through,” Cosner said. “One out of eight women get breast cancer. I want people to feel what I felt while having breast cancer. It’s also for anyone battling a major illness and what they and their caretakers have to go through.”

Writing both the play and the book mean a lot to Cosner. She said that writing is important for people to do when they are going through struggles. Fighting breast cancer was the biggest fight of Cosner’s life.

“I am and was a warrior,” Cosner said. “I lived through it and survived very well. And, I still dance and dance.”