Celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day! : Healthymagination

By Healthymagination | Posted June 1 2012

Statistics show that cancer can affect everyone: young and old, women and men, all around the world. There are over 100 types of cancer that can affect any part of the body. Just in the year 2008, 6,617,844 people were diagnosed with cancer worldwide, according to World Health Organization data. That?s one out of every two men and one out of three women diagnosed with cancer throughout their lifetimes.

A serious disease like cancer is a bombshell, a shock that tells us that no one is invincible. On June 3rd, Cancer Survivors Day will be celebrated worldwide, an event devoted to all cancer patients that have fought and those that are still fighting to overcome the disease and carry on with their lives.

The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines a ?survivor? as anyone living with a history of cancer; from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life. This day is a chance for communities around the world to demonstrate that they have an active and productive cancer survivor population.

As part of this initiative, GE Healthcare has created a Twitter hashtag #CancerFreeMe, to encourage survivors to share their stories and achievements. It can also be used to show admiration and support for those who have survived the disease. On Sunday, we will also be making live our first Pinterest board, ?Cancer Pintherapy,? to share visual content about cancer. We want to show support and share what lessons cancer survivors have been able to teach us through their journeys

1. Cancer doesn?t mean ?game over,? It means it?s time to fight for life with every ?healthy? weapon you have, with treatment and care that only you can give your body: positive thinking and determination. This doesn?t mean you can?t be upset, or even angry. Don?t lose sight of what you want: to get better and to beat the disease.

As breast cancer survivor Nelly Gupta moved through treatment, journal writing helped her cope. ?Often, after pages of dark musings, something lighter would break through?today, the sun is shining and I am aware of a feeling of pleasure. Life is fragile and tenacious. Maybe accepting that duality is key to integrating cancer into my life?,? she wrote recently in the healthymagination blog.

2. Exercise to release endorphins. The most traditional forms of treatment for most cancers are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation; which are all invasive and can take their toll on patients, making them tired and weak. During this difficult time, exercise and a good diet is essential. Exercise can be anything from working out in the gym to taking walks in the park; regular exercise releases valuable endorphins that will help you feel stronger and happier. A good diet will help keep energy levels up and give the body an extra push to fight against the disease.

3. Fighting cancer isn?t just about feeding the body. The benefits of having a support group of family and friends that visit regularly and help out with the day to day chores will help boost morale, give everyone involved peace of mind and fire up the will power to overcome the disease. Make a plan and delegate responsibilities; family and work can adapt to your treatment.

4. Communication between doctors and patients is crucial; there is nothing scarier than being in hospital and going through treatment without knowing what?s happening. The treatment might sound scary, but it?s good to know what the steps are and when they will be completed; it makes patients stronger and allows them to have a more positive outlook.

That?s also true when the doctor becomes the patient. When James Porter, MD, who specializes in treating men with prostate cancer using robotic surgery, developed the disease himself, he told the Healthy Outlook blog, ?I had a huge insight. I had to trust my doctor and appreciated what an amazing amount of trust my patients had in me. It?s helped me tremendously as a physician to have been in that spot and gave me empathy for what patients feel.?

5. Remember that preventing the onset of the disease is better than treating it. You can reduce your risks of developing cancer up to 40% just by keeping fit, according to CDC data. Also, through early detection, many cancers have been found in early stages and can be treated earlier on.

For some people, cancer might come as a complete surprise. That?s exactly what happened to Gaetano Scroco. He was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid cancer by chance. Thanks to early detection, he received treatment a lot faster.??I just want to emphasize the importance of early detection and that you need to see a doctor for a regular check-up once a year?, Gaetano said. ?It?s been one year since I had my cancerous Thyroid removed. I am feeling fine. So far I am cancer free.?

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Related Information

The Human Impact of Our Work: GE Team Meet Cancer Survivors

Fighting Breast Cancer Together

Questions All Cancer Patients Should Ask

Breast Cancer Mosaic

Is My Cancer Different

Discover More

WHO Cancer Sheet Fact

Guidelines Urge Exercise for Cancer Patients, Survivors

CDC Activity Sheet

Exercise for Cancer Patients: Fitness After Treatment

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