Game On! Eye of the Tiger---Whatever It Takes!

I have a certain group of amazing friends who are an inspiration to me on a daily basis. They vary in age, in gender, in hair color, in size…pretty variable I would say…except they all have two things in common: they have a diagnosis of cancer—and they are fighters. You may know some of them…I know I am so blessed by knowing them!

I’ve learned so much from them. I sincerely hope I’ve been a good friend… and possibly shared some beneficial information with them. I’m also blessed with an amazing faculty with great wisdom & insight to bless me on my journey to a PhD in Holistic Health. My reasons for pursuing further education at this point in my life are not because I’m bored…definitely not! The need for sound research in Integrative Medicine practices for cancer prevention, support during conventional cancer treatments, natural cancer treatments, and ‘after-cancer’ treatments has become of great interest to me---with the ultimate goal of getting solid, non-biased information out ‘to the masses’ so they can make educated decisions instead of agreeing to questionable treatments out of fear or pressure.

Several things have become clear to me over the past few years. As you read this short list, I hope that you will gain greater insight into the challenges of those you know who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and be better able to support & encourage them. I say this most humbly, since I have not walked in their shoes…

Point #1: A diagnosis of cancer is not a death sentence---it’s a diagnosis---and we all know there are many diagnoses out there, like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and congestive heart failure, to name just a very few. I think most of us would acknowledge that our reaction to someone we know telling us that they were just diagnosed with cancer is usually quite different to someone we know telling us that they have one of the other diagnoses listed above. Question to ask ourselves: How can I best respond to this in a positive & supportive way?

Point #2: A person’s mindset is critically important throughout life---and becomes even more so in times of crises and challenges. For many people their faith also plays a significant role in their mindset. Question to ask ourselves: How can I be of help in this area?

Point #3: When a diagnosis of cancer is made, one way of ‘dealing’ with the challenge is to consider the treatment plan like going into training for an intense athletic event (ie. a marathon), which may involve several hours every day. That’s because there’s more to fighting cancer than going for chemotherapy treatments or radiation. Similarly, there’s more to fighting diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis… (insert diagnosis here) than taking a medication or giving ourselves an injection. Other factors that need to be addressed include nutrition, water intake, sleep and exercise. Imagine how well a diabetic would do if they didn’t make lifestyle changes (including diet & exercise) after being diagnosed with either Type I or Type II diabetes---not very well! Question to ask ourselves: How would I support this friend/family member if they just told me they were going into training for a marathon (instead of starting chemo treatments)?

Point #4: There are so many sound, researched integrative medicine options available that can be incorporated into any and all treatment plans. These options may provide relief of chemo side effects, support the liver, and enhance the effects of other treatments, along with many other positive results. Health care providers are NOT dictators of anyone’s health and should NOT be making statements like, “No, that won’t work”---or “No, I don’t want you to do that” unless they have sound documentation to back up their statement (which would not include a biased study by a pharmaceutical company). Question to ask ourselves: How can we best support our friend/family member in this education process & not let our personal advice/judgment take over?

Point #5: Once the wonderful words ‘remission of cancer’ are heard, the training/challenge is NOT over. Think about it, when a diabetic hears their blood sugar is in the normal range, do they just ‘forget about it’ and go back to their former lifestyle habits? I hope not! Keeping up with healthy lifestyle habits are CRITICAL for long-term success in maintaining the best health possible. Question to ask ourselves: How can we encourage them in this healthy lifestyle journey?

So…some possible answers for Questions to ask ourselves to encourage those we know who have a cancer diagnosis:
• My first & foremost answer is to pray for them. I realize this is a very personal aspect---though, honestly, it is at the very top of my list.

• One of the most important ways (again, in my humble opinion) to support them is to get our ‘Game Face’ on and let them know we’re there for them…NOT with looks of pity but with the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and a ‘Whatever It Takes’ attitude.

• Think of the positive difference we could potentially make in their lives as we greet them with a smile (& ‘the ‘Eye’)…check in on them…’hang’ with them…with an attitude of, “Hey, you’ve got this”…”you’re doing everything you can do”…”you can do this”…GAME ON!>”

Let’s be that person to others---Thank you for being a blessing!
Sana