Keeping Up Hope After a Cancer Diagnosis

Keeping Up Hope After a Cancer Diagnosis

The late Dr. David Sugarbaker always used to tell me: “When hope is in the equation, the odds don’t matter.” He knew I was up against incredible odds, being a newly diagnosed pleural mesothelioma patient. He was the first person to give me the hope I so desperately needed.

I’ve done my best to carry that hope through the years, through the many sleepless nights when I lay awake, wondering if the pain I was experiencing meant the cancer was back. Through the literally dozens of scans I’ve had, and more doctors’ appointments than I can count - that hope has kept me going.

Along the way, I’ve learned that there are many reasons to hope after a cancer diagnosis, and I wanted to share some with everyone.

Building Community With Medical Experts and Fellow Patients

I’ve met so many amazing people who’ve helped treat my cancer and shared in my experience as a patient. I’ve been doing advocacy work with other patients since my first visit to Boston to see Dr. Sugarbaker. He saw something in me that must have told him I needed to take on this role.

He always asked me to speak with newly diagnosed patients when I went for checkups, and asked me to accompany him to the 11th floor of the hospital, where many patients were recovering from the same or similar surgery I had. He said it gave them hope in their own battle, and who was I to argue with the master?

Celebrating Accomplishments and Milestones

I’ve also learned how life-affirming celebrating milestones in your cancer journey can be. Even the tiniest win can be a cause for hope. For me personally, the anniversary of my lung removal surgery has been a cause of celebration for 20 years now. I’ve used the occasion, which we call “Lung Leavin’ Day,” to reinforce my commitment to overcoming fear.

I’m so thrilled that this little tradition has touched so many lives, not just where I live, but across the globe as people have tuned in and watched my livestream of this event.

Reflecting on 20 Years of Lung Leavin’ Day

When my husband Cam came home that first year with just two plates and two Sharpies, we both sat down and started to write our fears out, slowly at first, then it was as if they were pouring out of the pen.

I hadn’t realized how much fear I’d been holding in until that moment. Fear of the cancer coming back, not being able to raise my child, not being able to live a normal life after cancer, fear of financial ruin due to losing my job because of the cancer. And those were just a few.

Cam and I went out in our backyard and smashed our plates as hard as we could against the edge of the firepit. Right then and there, a tradition was born - one that transformed fear into hope.

Lung Leavin’ Day has become something personal for everyone who experiences it. It helped a friend going through a bitter divorce. It helped another friend get help for an eating disorder they had been struggling with (and I’m happy to say they are still doing well). That’s the power of hope.

Other Strategies I’ve Picked Up Over the Years

I’ve picked up so many other ways to keep up hope over the years from family, friends, doctors and other patients. Let’s face it, everyone goes through some kind of struggle. Whether it be health-related, job-related or even relationships, we all need hope.

Here are some of my other favorite ways to keep hopeful after a cancer diagnosis:

• Join support groups: Talking to people going through the same thing you’re going through can be so meaningful. You might even learn some tricks for staying hopeful from other patients.
• Know that science says hope helps: The research says keeping a sense of hope can decrease depression and other mental stresses a cancer diagnosis can cause. It’s not saying you need to be cheerful all the time. It’s more about trying to maintain a positive attitude.
• Know you’ll have bad days: It’s literally impossible to be positive all the time! Give yourself grace when you have bad days. Feeling bad doesn’t mean you have to lose hope!
• Learn about cancer research and clinical trials: It’s amazing what researchers are working on in clinical trials to find new ways to treat cancer. The last 10 years alone have seen huge improvements in mesothelioma treatment!