Emotional Wellness for Cancer Patients: Healing the Cancer Journey

•Fear and anxiety: Will I die? What should I do? Will I be cured? Who am I going to be? Cancer is always going to be part of your story.

•Shame: How could my lifestyle have contributed to my fate? You may believe your cancer was self-inflicted, such as saying to yourself: “Why couldn't I stop smoking?”

•Betrayal: I didn't do anything to you. Why are you hurting me? Why are you trying to kill me?

•Negative self image : For many people (mostly men), cancer goes against the grain of what you think that your life is, or your power in the world, and how you want to express it. You compare who you are today to who you were a year ago. A year ago you could run marathons. Today, you are physically incapable of doing that.

•Loss of friends: When you come out to your friends that you have cancer, certain ones that you thought you were very close to may not be able to handle it. They may not identify you as a person with cancer. They will pull away from the relationship and withdraw from very long-standing friendships, which can be hurtful, a loss, and a surprise. Maybe they don’t know how to relate to someone with cancer. Maybe they're not mature enough emotionally to create a space for someone to have a life-threatening disease. What are tips and practices for dealing with the mental and emotional challenges cancer patients face?

•Acceptance: Cancer is here in your life to show you some bit of wisdom. It doesn't have to be a pleasant wisdom. It could be a painful wisdom. Cancer is your teacher. You need to control what you can control, but the flip side of that is you have to accept the things that you cannot control.

•Thrive, gratitude, and positivity : Cancer clearly identifies what's important and what's bullshit. You can look at your situation and see the good in it, that the glass is half full, rather than seeing it as half empty. You can do a daily exercise of listing things you are grateful for in your life today. You can also “live in the present”, which means you're not having the anxiety about what's going to happen tomorrow, and you're not regretting what happened yesterday. You can choose to look at how to use cancer to improve your life and to address things that you haven't addressed in the past. You eat a different diet. You live your life and think differently. You find new friends. You get an immediacy and a sense of focus.

•Legacy: It's about what you want to leave behind, so it's more outward facing. It takes the focus away from you. You're thinking about how to be of service to other people, even though you're going through a painful time. It's not just at the end of your cycle of life, rather it is what you are creating in the world. Future generations will learn from your experiences, mistakes, growth, or successes.

•Self image: How do you want to be? How do you want others to feel and be around you? How do you want your energy to come across to other people? Ask yourself if there is someone whom you admire. Try to embody those qualities that you admire. It could be a friend, or it could be someone from history.

•New friends: Draw to you those people who support your idealized version of yourself. Connect with others who understand your journey and lift each other up.

•Let go: Instead of making a “To Do” list of what you want to accomplish, as your capacities diminish, identify what you don't want to spend your time and attention on any more, the “To Stop” list.

•Journaling: Journaling is a private way to reflect on what you go through and process ups and downs. You can also post some of your deep thoughts to a blog, Facebook group, or Caringbridge site. You benefit from processing issues and putting your thoughts out there, and even more inspiration to hear back that other people are getting value from it.

•Meditation: Focusing your mind on a particular object, thought, or activity can train your attention and awareness to achieve mental clarity and emotional calmness and stability.

•Therapy: Psychological methods based on regular personal interaction can help you change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome problems. The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Cancer Patient Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action. You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health. Meeting Notes KEYWORDS cancer, idea, people, talk, life, patients, savio, years, wanted, journey, disease, blessing, question, cancer patient, legacy, work, fact, living, couple, interviews SPEAKERS Savio P. Clemente (35%), Eric Hall (25%), Brian McCloskey (24%), Amit Gattani (9%), Paul van Camp (6%), David Plunkett (1%) OUTLINE 1.Cancer survivor's journey and insights. (0:00) 2.Cancer survivors' emotional journeys and best practices for patients. (2:17) 3.Cancer patients' power, legacy, and storytelling. (11:19) 4.Cancer diagnosis and relationships. (17:40) 5.Cancer journey, self-discovery, and personal growth. (23:29) 6.Cancer journey, lifestyle changes, and acceptance. (29:42) 7.Coping with cancer's impact on young, accomplished individuals. (39:11) 8.Legacy, service, and living with purpose despite cancer diagnosis. (41:35) 9.Cancer diagnosis and its impact on mental and emotional well-being. (44:45) 10.Cancer diagnosis and acceptance. (48:10) 11.Cancer diagnosis and mental attitude. (51:58) 12.Personal growth, cancer diagnosis, and legacy. (53:18) 13.Self-discovery and purpose during cancer journey. (58:51) SUMMARY Cancer survivor's journey and insights.

•Savio Clemente shares his stage 3 cancer journey and insights on navigating the physical and mental aspects of the disease. Cancer survivors' emotional journeys and best practices for patients.

•Savio P. Clemente was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 and sought holistic alternatives for his medical care before starting chemotherapy.

•He completed six rounds of chemotherapy and in incorporated integrative modalities, leading to his remission status after nine years.

•His TEDx talk focuses on how cancer can be a catalyst for personal growth and connection with others, despite the physical toll it takes.

•A survey by the CDC found that 20-46% of cancer survivors experience anxiety or depression monthly, highlighting the need for deeper self-reflection and meaning-making.

•Savio P. Clemente interviewed 200 cancer patients, finding that men internalize their cancer differently than women, and many struggle to share their stories.

•Coach Sarah recommends using positive psychology, self-efficacy, and self-regulation theory to help cancer patients manage anxiety and find hope, despite treatment challenges. Cancer patients' power, legacy, and storytelling.

•Brian McCloskey and Savio P. Clemente discuss how people with cancer can regain power by controlling their emotions and relationships.

•Savio P. Clemente reflects on interviews with cancer patients, noting their desire for empathetic listening and personalized support rather than generic reassurance.

•He emphasizes the importance of storytelling and self-expression in coping with illness, encouraging listeners to have open and honest conversations with loved ones.

•He discusses the concept of legacy and how it relates to storytelling, emphasizing the importance of being seen as more than one's disease and creating a lasting impact in the world. Cancer diagnosis and relationships.

•Paul Van Camp shares his experience with prostate cancer, including the initial diagnosis and subsequent biochemical recurrence, and how it has impacted his relationships with friends and family.

•He identifies certain friends who were unable to handle the information and withdrew from long-standing friendships, while others have shown support and care for him.

•He shares his experience with prostate cancer, including the loss of relationships due to his illness.

•He suggests cultivating qualities of admired individuals to bolster emotional and mental well-being during treatment. Cancer journey, self-discovery, and personal growth.

•Eric Hall shares his journey of acceptance and self-discovery after being diagnosed with cancer, highlighting the emotional and mental challenges he's faced and how he's worked to overcome them.

•He expresses anxiety about his identity and who he will be after potentially going off ADT, while also acknowledging the ways in which cancer has changed him for the better.

•He shares his personal experience with cancer and how it led him to create a private Facebook group and CaringBridge site for support.

•Savio P. Clemente uses the “ALOHA” framework to encourage listeners to acknowledge, listen, open, harness, and act on their inner voice and emotions. Cancer journey, lifestyle changes, and acceptance.

•Brian McCloskey recalls a conversation with Eric Hall from months 2-3 of Hall's cancer journey, noting Hall's fear and intentionality to figure out a way to attack the cancer.

•Eric Hall shares how he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, feeling scared and unsure of what to do, but determined to buy time and attack the cancer.

•He found a game plan for his cancer treatment in Kelly Turner's book "Radical Remission," which highlighted 9 common factors among people who had achieved radical remission, including diet, supplements, spiritual connection, and emotional release.

•Reading the book helped Eric shift his focus from just cancer treatment to overall health and wellness, and he started implementing various lifestyle changes and integrative modalities to improve his health.

•He has found that focusing on positivity and acceptance has helped him cope with cancer, rather than dwelling on negative thoughts or using language that implies a battle (e.g., "fighting cancer").

•Hall has learned to reframe his mindset, seeing cancer as a healing journey rather than a negative experience, which has helped him maintain a more positive outlook and reduce anxiety and depression. Coping with cancer's impact on young, accomplished individuals.

•Brian McCloskey reflects on the notion of blessings in the face of cancer, encouraging acceptance and improvement rather than comparison. Legacy, service, and living with purpose despite cancer diagnosis.

•Savio P. Clemente reflects on mortality and control, suggesting writing a list of things for others to complete in the worst-case scenario.

•He discusses legacy and service as a way to look beyond personal trials and tribulations. Cancer diagnosis and its impact on mental and emotional well-being.

•Amit Gattani reflects on his personal journey with cancer, questioning whether it's a blessing or determined by the outcome.

•He struggles to consider cancer a blessing despite enjoying activities and professionally being at a good place. Cancer diagnosis and acceptance.

•Savio P. Clemente reflects on cancer as a message, challenging listeners to identify their own personal message.

•Amit Gattani shares his journey of battling cancer and finding acceptance through blogging and personal growth. Cancer diagnosis and mental attitude.

•Eric Hall reflects on the ease of cancer treatment when results are positive, and how he's adopted a mindset of thriving despite potential negative results in the future. Personal growth, cancer diagnosis, and legacy.

•Brian McCloskey and David Plunkett share their experiences with cancer diagnoses and treatment, including feelings of betrayal and anger.

•Both men found solace in practicing gratitude and living in the present, which helped them cope with their illnesses and find meaning in their lives.

•Brian McCloskey shared a personal story about his friend Bryce Olson, who passed away from prostate cancer, and how Olson's legacy lives on through his impact on others in the industry.

•The BostonGene VP of Sales, who worked with Olson at Tempus, shared how Olson's memory inspired her to continue working in the industry and saving patient lives. Self-discovery and purpose during cancer journey.

•Savio P. Clemente emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and personal growth during cancer treatment, encouraging listeners to "figure out for yourself" their legacy, emotions, and fears.

•He shares his experience as a journalist interviewing notable figures like Venus Williams, highlighting the importance of being kind to oneself and not comparing one's journey to others.