Cancer. A word that can invoke many emotions. Type cancer into any search engine and prepare for the information overload.
I am one of the lucky ones. I have not been diagnosed with cancer. I have not sat in front of a consultant whilst hearing them tell me that there is an invader in my body threatening the life I know! I’ve not had to go through chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and deal with the horrendous side effects. I am one of the lucky ones!
i have been affected by cancer, and continue to be. Cancer took both of my parents; one without diagnosis and one following a 13 month battle from the date of diagnosis. My husband is currently battling cancer. He is amazing! His approach, his strength, his positive effect on others continues to astonish me on a daily basis!
One of the many things that he does is to refuse to let cancer define him! He does not see himself as a cancer patient. He is a fighter! He fought cancer over 3 years ago and had a positive response to the treatment, a clinical trial drug to beat his stage 4 disease, concluding with a clear PET CT scan. Approaching 3 years, and he received the devastating diagnosis that cancer had returned…a relapse! The options: quite simple really, go through the treatment plan, or don’t have treatment and allow cancer to take over and eventually (approx. 2 years) kill you!
More treatment required, and this time it would be more aggressive than before! Chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant. He has completed the chemotherapy phase, which resulted in so many side effects, and he is waiting to be admitted for the stem cell transplant.
Throughout his own often horrific journey, he continues to support others through their cancer journeys; in person, via his Facebook group and his blogs: http://www.fonzandcancer.com.
There are so many brave people battling cancer, I am in awe of you all! You are all amazing, for raging against cancer regardless of your diagnosis or prognosis. May your medical teams have the knowledge and skill to treat and care for you, and may a cure for all cancers be discovered and available to all!