Most people have an innate desire to be helpful and supportive, especially when someone we love and care about is having a difficult time. When a friend or family member has cancer, we instinctively want to do whatever we can to help. However, few people have caregiving experience and, despite our best intentions, helping someone...
Whether in the beginning stages of a diagnosis, during treatment, or after treatment, many people living with cancer experience higher levels of stress and anxiety in the days or weeks leading up to or after a scan, MRI, or x-ray appointment. This experience has been termed ‘scanxiety.’ This is no surprise, given that scans are...
There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday, and one is called Tomorrow. So Today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live. ~ Dalai Lama It is not unusual, while living with a cancer diagnosis, to feel like you have to make...
Many people say they feel as if their lives were turned upside down as soon as they received their cancer diagnosis, leaving them feeling a loss of control. Days are suddenly filled with clinic appointments, tests, and treatment visits. Feelings of stress, fear, worry, can dominate one’s thoughts. Then there are the more subtle changes...
Anyone who has been in the position of being a long-distance caregiver will attest to the fact that this is a unique and oftentimes challenging role. The term long-distance is relative; one does not need to be hundreds or thousands of miles away to be considered a long-distance caregiver. If it takes an hour’s drive...
We are creatures of habit. When things go as planned, we feel in control. However, when unexpected events occur, such as a being diagnosed with cancer, they remind us that there is only so much we can control, and that life’s uncertainty is inevitable. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty about our...
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” ~Brené Brown We humans are social beings at the core of our existence. Yes, we all need our ‘alone’ time...
For many people, that moment when the doctor says ‘you have cancer’ is forever etched in your memory in detail. However, what comes next, and in the weeks that follow, is often just a big blur. You are now starting down a new, life-changing path filled with emotional and physical ups and downs. Your daily life will...
It is not unusual to find you have questions or concerns popping up in your head after you leave appointments with your health care providers. You may have received new information during an appointment, and you are still trying to wrap your mind around what you were told. The questions are just starting to formulate. ...
You may have been working hard to protect your children by not talking about cancer. However, many parents soon discover that their children know something has changed. Children notice when family members are upset and sometimes, they may even see their parents crying. They see and feel their parent’s stress and choose not to say...
