Survivorship

Sometimes cancer survivors do not realize how hard it is for other people to know what to say. We need to educate them!

A man who lost his wife due to cancer explains how it changed the trajectory of his family’s lives. He writes, “The question will still weigh on me at times, often in a religious or philosophical sense – was this the plan all along?”

Many patients with cancer experience challenges with sexual intimacy. Body image, self-esteem, vaginal health and a positive mindset all come into play.

Every cancer survivor has a different story and experience, and they should not always be looped into the same category. “Like fingerprints, we all have different characteristics and are individually unique,” writes a survivor.

Dr. Curtis Mack can relate to his patients on a level other radiation oncologists might not be able to because he has received a diagnosis, gone through treatment and survived cancer himself.

Remission should lift the burden of cancer, but the effects that follow treatment may keep many cancer survivors from being able to sleep at night.

Whether it be physical, psychosocial or financial, the lasting effects of cancer and its treatment can be overwhelming. One expert explains how a personalized survivorship care plan can tackle it altogether.

A woman writes a poem to thank the doctors and nurses who treated her ovarian cancer and changed her life.

The process of scheduling and receiving scans to monitor your disease can be emotionally triggering and traumatic as a patient with cancer, one woman explains.

A cancer survivor explains that similar to combat veterans who experience post-traumatic stress after war, cancer survivors live with the impacts of their journey even after being in remission.

Cancer survivors who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual report experiencing significantly more challenges in their survivorship than their heterosexual peers, according to recent study results.

Residing in neighborhoods that are within walking distance of destinations such as shops, restaurants and bus stops was associated with a decrease in BMI among black cancer survivors.

After enduring cancer, how does one celebrate completing treatments? A woman writes about celebrating all of her sister's successes, no matter how big or small.

A cancer survivor dedicates two spirited poems to living 12 years post-cancer.

An expert from Mount Sinai shares his account of Sept. 11, 2001, and describes how the toxins released as a result of the attacks have long-term health impacts.

Cancer survivors were less likely to use marijuana than their counterparts who never had cancer, according to recent research.

A previvor analyzes the similarities and overlaps between living with Lynch syndrome and a BRCA mutation.

A cancer survivor expresses the frustration of constantly worrying about protecting her health in a dangerous world.

Olympic triathlete Kevin McDowell explains how certain aspects of surviving cancer and training for the Olympics became intertwined throughout his journey.

A patient with pancreatic cancer discusses how far words of kindness can go to individuals dealing with pain and suffering.

“I like to think the people of Bodie counted every day and made every day count, as hard as their lives were, reminding me to do the same,” writes a woman with metastatic breast cancer about her visit to Bodie State Historic Park.

Fitting at least one relaxing, positive moment into your schedule each day has the potential to improve your overall well-being, explains one cancer survivor.

A survivor describes the small joys in life and how she avoids letting cancer get in the way.

Patients with breast cancer are advised to get regular sleep, exercise often, stay hydrated and eat healthy and nutritious foods to prevent “highly debilitating” headaches, according to an expert from Stanford University School of Medicine.

“When I walk into the doctor’s office and the question is asked ‘What are you coming in for today?’ My answer is ‘survivorship,’” writes a four-time cancer survivor about the difficulties of living with a history of complex health issues.

There’s been joy in the journey, along with the drugs, the endless waiting in chilly waiting rooms, the lab work, shaving my head twice, the CT scans every three months and the steady hum of anxiety in my brain. The time with my husband, kids and grandkids has made it worth every minute of cancer treatment. Bring it on, cancer.

While it is normal for parents of childhood cancer survivors to experience anxiety and depression related to the fear of disease progression, parents are encouraged to seek help to ensure that the fear or progression doesn’t lead to debilitating consequences, according to an expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

How is the COVID-19 pandemic similar to cancer? A survivor of pancreatic cancer shares his viewpoint.