The first Sunday of
June was National Cancer Survivors Day, an annual celebration that is held in
hundreds of communities nationwide. This day provides an opportunity to draw
attention to the ongoing challenges of cancer survivorship in order to promote
more resources, research, and survivor-friendly legislation to improve cancer survivors’
quality of life. With 3 million breast cancer survivors and growing, Susan G. Komen
is investing in survivorship to improve quality of life eveeryday.
After surviving
breast cancer, most find that "normal" is usually not what it was
before, in fact many call it finding their "new normal". We all work
through things in different ways. Sometimes the hardest issue is dealing with
the anxiety that the cancer will return. Developing a plan and a philosophy
around this fear is a major step in finding your "new normal".
There are many
steps you can take to improve the chance of staying healthy. The first is to
fully understand your prognosis for recurrence, the potential long term side
effects of your treatment, and associated options for follow-up. Keep a regular
schedule of wellness visits.The fact is the primary cause of death in women who
have had breast cancer is not cancer; it's heart disease. So working toward a
healthy lifestyle of a balanced diet, a healthy weight, exercising regularly,
not smoking and getting enough sleep, while not a guarantee, is a positive step
for life beyond breast cancer.
Successfully negotiating survivorship takes courage, humor, and a healthy dose of patience; starting with some realistic expectations. The first year the body is in repair mode, you are getting use to the longer-term physical effects of treatment, and dealing with post treatment anxieties. And after facing a life challenge, you may find your "before" life goals no longer fit. Life beyond breast cancer is different and getting used to whatever it will be takes awhile.
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