Flower

Singer-songwriter Jewel has penned numerous lyrics empowering women after heartbreak and loss, and now she hopes to do the same for breast cancer survivors.

Jewel's latest song, "Flower," was written to raise awareness about the importance of breast reconstruction options for breast cancer survivors.

"Reconstruction is a huge part of the healing process," Jewel told The Associated Press. "It's not just vanity. It's a part of what makes us women. It's a part of our identity as women. Patients should at least be informed about their options."

She said she was surprised to hear a lot of breast cancer survivors are not informed about their breast reconstruction options, even though reconstruction is now considered a medically necessary part of breast cancer treatment that is covered by Medicare and most major insurance providers.

"There should be a plastic surgeon involved from the very beginning," she said. "We have to be our own advocates."

"Flower"

She dreams of the country
Her eyes go far away
She wishes for happiness
The beauty of brighter days
Sometimes life seems so grey
So she sees it through different eyes
Like a flower pushing up through concrete
to thrive 'cause

She's always known 
That there was something more
Like a hunger in her belly 
Like an instinct tellin' her that there was something more
This living can't be called livin'
If it's really only half a life
She's a flower that grows despite cement walls 
And she will survive
She will survive

She's a rare breed with rose petal lips 
And leafy limbs
In conversations she looks for cracks 
To dig her roots deep in
The waves comes up like daisies
She pushes her head to the sun
Says "I'm still me despite these circumstance 
And the best has yet to come"

She's always known 
There was something more
Like a hunger in her belly 
Like an instinct tellin' her that there was something more
This living can't be called livin'
If it's really only half a life
She's a flower that grows despite cement walls 
And she will survive
She will survive

Challenges do not define us
We are shaped by how we carry on
This is our opportunity
To decide the kind of women we want to become
And so, it is with great gratitude
And the strength of humility
We transform pain into victory
By digging our roots deep

And always know
That there is something more
there's this hunger in our bellies
Like an instinct tellin' us that there is something more
This living can't be called livin'
If it's really only half a life
We are flowers that grow despite cement walls 
And we will survive
And we will survive

Read the story from 2012