Cancer Survivor Q&A | Where Do You Find Hope, Inspiration & Strength?
SURVIVEiT®’s Survivor Advisory Council & Committee is made up of cancer survivors who have travelled the path and understand the journey in a way others cannot. Their wisdom is what makes SURVIVEiT® unique.
Question
Where do you find hope, inspiration and strength?
Each member of the Survivor Advisory Council & Committee provided advice based on their unique experience.
Answers
I find strength comes from my spiritual beliefs. Hope, I find in stories about others who are on a similar journey. Inspiration, I find in science as well as seeking out others who are thriving while living with cancer.
I am a Christian, so I find hope in my relationship with Jesus Christ.
I find inspiration through my support system who consistently encouraged me.
I find strength in setting small, realistic, and achievable goals that set me up for some type of success everyday. During chemo, a goal may have been as small as going downstairs to get a glass of water.
I found hope in the belief that this was just another bump in the road that I needed to slow down to conquer. Inspiration came from all those I met along the way who were also fighting this disease. Strength came from my partner, family and friends who helped me get through the tough times with their support, distractions and laughter.
I find hope, inspiration and strength from my husband, children, my Jewish faith and the many cancer survivors that I have been blessed to know.
Other survivors and positive stories. There are so many cancer patients out there outliving their prognosis and thriving. Connecting with those patients and learning about their cancer journey offers so much insight on how to navigate your own.
Our faith, our family, our friends.
I have found hope, inspiration and strength in other survivors. Since my diagnosis, I have connected with many other people who have or have had cancer. It has been so powerful to speak with people who really understand what you are going through- the fear, the frustration, the physical discomfort, etc. I have also found hope, inspiration and strength in my students. Their love and support was palpable and motivating. While they could not fully understand what I was going through, their well-wishes and small acts of kindness were so fortifying.
My mom, my brother, my friends and people who care about me. Couldn’t have made it without them!
I don’t have to look far. I have a 7 year old daughter; it takes all the energy I have to just try to keep up with her. I also know people who have had to relearn to walk or talk, and others who run marathons or have done Ironmans; people whose relationships have collapsed and those who find a way to love others deeper. It’s not so much about bouncing back as I get inspiration from those who bounce forward.
I find hope, inspiration, and strength in my family. I find it in my survivor family and I find it in knowing that research is moving and there are new discoveries all the time.
My faith, my church, my children, my family and friends and fellow lung cancer survivors.
Looking at my wife and kids, I want to be here for them. I also find strength from within.
What Should You Do After A Cancer Diagnosis?
SURVIVEiT®’S Survivor and Medical Advisory Councils have created a Cancer Navigation Tool to help you navigate every step of your cancer journey.