LIFE AFTER CANCER
- Polelo Mawela
- Jun 1, 2022
- 3 min read
Let's explore what life looks like after cancer and an interview with a cancer survivor.
Unfortunately being a cancer survivor may also mean experiencing long-term side effects of cancer treatment. Although life-saving, treatment can cause health conditions that may affect the quality of life for cancer survivors. After intensive treatment, it comes as no surprise that cancer survivors have to deal with life-altering long-term side effects. These may include dental tooth decay, hearing problems, infertility, lung disease, and an increased risk of developing other cancers or cardiovascular incidents [1].
Staying healthy after cancer treatment
After cancer treatment, cancer survivors are advised to visit the doctor's office for routine checkups to help identify early signs of new or recurring cancer. There's however lifestyle changes that can be made on the patient side to prevent this from happening, such as not smoking, minimal alcohol intake, protecting the skin from ultraviolet light, regular activity, and maintaining a healthy weight [2].
The Mental Health of Cancer Survivors
Cancer survivors may struggle mentally due to the financial burden of the treatment cost and the fear that cancer may return. There isn't much conversation around the fact that survivors would have to adjust to the change in the behavior of people around them. People's treatment of a person with cancer may drastically change after being declared cancer-free, and this change can be hard to adjust to. The phenomenon of “chemo brain” which occurs in patients who have received chemotherapy can negatively affect attention span, memory, and cognitive function. Cancer survivors need to have access to mental health services for their spiritual and emotional needs, access to support groups and clinical psychologists is essential [3].
Healthcare After Cancer
To improve post-cancer transition of care it is recommended that the oncology and primary care teams should collaborate on health issues that affect the quality of life such as the management long-term side effects, preventative care, and psychosocial wellness [4].
INTERVIEW WITH MARIE
Marie, 54, Cancer Survivor and Medical doctor.
Tell us about your health journey with cancer, and how it has affected you?
The diagnosis came as a shock to me. Cancer is a very bad word; it means death in popular belief. Disbelief in terms of “this can’t be happening to me” and self-victimization in terms of “if I did this, like regular check-ups, this shouldn’t have happened”. I had questions about how my beloved ones will survive if I am gone.
How has your mental health been throughout this journey?
“I was resilient, abandoning myself to God’s will. I think my faith made me believe and stay strong.”
How has your diagnosis affected the people around you?
“Family members were in prayer, pleading the grace of God upon me. Friends showed support by keeping in touch with me throughout the whole process.”
What cancer were you diagnosed with? Do you have any advice for someone going through the same situation?
“Cervical cancer, stage II b. I would advise someone facing this life-threatening condition as well as other conditions, not to panic or get discouraged. They should attend to their healthcare needs, trust God who is the author and finisher of our lives and pray for strength and perseverance. We have seen people with very poor prognosis survive against all odds.”
In your opinion, what could improve the healthcare system for cancer patients?
“The health care system can do more: Support groups including religions of different beliefs according to the faith of patients could be encouraged and more psychologists should be available for mental health support. I think that sick leave policies including a recovery period need to be reviewed as I got 45 days and had to resume duties the next day I finished my last radiotherapy treatment. I couldn't stay at home even for one more week because of the salary cut, I had to convince my employer that I was still weak. Financial support should be offered as it was done during Covid-19 times, through NGOs for example. We see it happening during times of disaster.”
Reference list
Long-Term Side Effects of Cancer Treatment [Internet]. Cancer.Net. 2022 [cited 27 May 2022]. Available from: https://www.cancer.net/survivorship/long-term-side-effects-cancer-treatment
Casey J. Surviving Cancer: Now What? [Internet]. WebMD. 2022 [cited 29 May 2022]. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/youve-survived-cancer-now-what
Lunsford N. What Cancer Survivors Should Know About Their Mental Health [Internet]. Centers for disease control and prevention. 2022 [cited 29 May 2022]. Available from: https://blogs.cdc.gov/cancer/2018/05/17/cancer-survivors-mental-health/
Health After Cancer [Internet]. After Cancer. 2022 [cited 29 May 2022]. Available from: https://med.stanford.edu/aftercancer/our-programs/health-after-cancer.html
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