Coping with Cancer...After Cancer

As a continued testament to the investment in cancer research, there are over 9 million cancer survivors living in the United States. These survivors are living proof that our mission to improve cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment is saving lives. Still, cancer is a day-by-day disease that continues through the rest of one’s life.

Everyday, cancer survivors face on-going and new challenges, some of which include managing mixed and varying emotions that surface after surviving the disease. The emotions that survivors experience ranging from fear of recurrence to uncertainty and distress, all of which may have already been felt while fighting cancer and may resurface during survivorship.

Health professionals define these feelings as normal and stress that identifying and understanding is one of the first steps to cope and manage the emotions. On the other hand, it is also important to monitor the frequency, intensity and duration of these emotions to help determine if they are becoming abnormal and additional aid is needed from an outside source, such as a friend, family member or even a mental health professional.

If you or a loved one is a cancer survivor, take these steps to help cope with life after cancer:

Continue to keep a close relationship with your health care team to help minimize future health complications and emotional stress. Find a local counselor or support group to share feelings. Stay informed on the various emotional effects of cancer aftermath and ways to better well-being, through informational resources and organizations. Get involved in cancer advocacy, fundraising and research to have a sense of giving back to those who are fighting cancer.