Advice From a Cancer Survivor: Do Yourself a Favor and Get Outside!

As a patient with cancer, I find myself deeply grateful to have lived to witness another spring burst into action.

I just came in from a beautiful walk and couldn’t help but marvel at the new buds and flowering trees — tulips, daffodils and hyacinths lining the way, filling the air with the unmistakable scent of the season. It lifted my spirits and elevated my mood. I don’t take for granted that any of us is guaranteed another spring — but especially those of us still navigating cancer as a chronic companion.

Each year when spring arrives, we are rarely in the same place we were the year before. Next month will mark one full year since I’ve been off my cancer medication. Last spring, I was filled with trepidation when my doctor suggested it might be time to stop. I was frightened by that initial conversation. He reassured me that I would continue coming in every three months for bloodwork, that he would keep a close eye on things, and that I could restart the medication at any time — and should expect that I might eventually need to. “It could be six months or a couple of years,” he said. “No one knows, but it’s worth trying to stop taking a toxic drug if you don’t need it.”

Like many patients, I’ve come to understand that newer treatments don’t always mean easier ones. Calquence (acalabrutinib) is a targeted therapy that, while effective, is not traditional chemotherapy, and it can cause serious side effects. It is designed to be precise, but the precision doesn’t mean gentleness. Clinical data show serious infections in roughly one-third of patients and second cancers in 18% — numbers that sit quietly behind every “you’re doing well.”

“This is not a drug you should continue taking if you can get off it, even for a while,” my doctor told me. I decided he was right, especially after doing more reading on my own. I have always trusted his judgment, so why would I second-guess his recommendation now? Fear was the only reason — but I’m glad I listened. I am now welcoming spring free of my cancer drug, and I just received a wonderful report heading into May.

I recently came across an article about what it does for us simply to hear birds sing. As I write this, I’m sitting outside listening to the birdsongs! National Geographic reports that listening to birds sing genuinely soothes the brain by reducing anxiety and depression — and that kind of relief may well support our health on a deeper level.

When I explored the research further, I found a remarkable list of nature’s benefits:

• Nature can strengthen immune activity

• Nature can help reduce inflammation

• Trees release compounds that may directly affect the body

• Nature lowers stress hormones

• Mental health benefits also enhance physical resilience

And perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from the research:

You don’t need a wilderness retreat. Even 10 to 20 minutes in green space can help. Forests and parks seem especially beneficial. Slow, mindful exposure — not just exercise — may amplify the effects. Your immune system, stress hormones and even cellular signaling all shift when you’re in a natural environment.

This is achievable for most of us. We don’t need to walk or run for hours to experience benefits that may help us fight cancer. So get out there — and soak in the beauty and the healing power of nature.

Where shall we meet up? Now that would be something special!  I wish we could!

This piece reflects the author’s personal experience and perspective. For medical advice, please consult your health care provider.

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