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Dear Friend,
After a cancer diagnosis, it’s easy to think that the goal is getting to the day when the doctor says, “You are cancer-free.” But that’s only partially true. The real goal is to be healed in body, mind and spirit – to thrive.
Witnessing my wife, Susan, battle five different types of cancer, I saw first-hand the importance of taking a whole person and integrative health approach to address the physical and emotional toll cancer and its treatment takes.
An integrative approach including self-care, lifestyle and alternative practices in conjunction with standard treatments can help combat the side-effects and trauma caused by cancer and its treatment. This needs to be the new standard for cancer.
Jenny Leyh, a regular contributor to our blog, discusses how to move beyond “survivorship” to “thrivership.” “Thrivership” is a term used to describe living a healthy, happy lifestyle while respecting and accepting that this disease was part of your life’s journey.
Thrivership acknowledges the physical and emotional scars cancer and its treatment leaves behind. Jenny discusses everything from body changes and intimacy to finding a support network and establishing proper follow-up care. Read Jenny’s article, “Five Steps to a New Normal: Life with Cancer” to get a new perspective on an overlooked but important topic.
Jenny’s first-hand experiences combined with the research on integrative health widen the conversation to talk about more than just getting through chemotherapy.
This series includes:
When facing a cancer diagnosis, its treatment and life after cancer, it is important to know all the options and discuss the evidence and your goals with your medical providers.
If you or someone you love is currently fighting cancer or navigating life with or after it, take advantage of the benefits provided by an integrative approach to treating the disease, healing the whole person, and thriving while surviving.
Be well.
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