By Tim Charles / Guest Column
Cancer is a frightening diagnosis. The State Health Registry of Iowa’s annual report on the disease projects 1,090 new cancers in Linn County and 520 in Johnson County by the end of this year. Each new diagnosis sounds a battle cry. An onslaught of treatment plans, surgeries, therapies and tests ensue – all weapons unite to give patients the best possible outcome in their fight.
But what’s next? After the last treatment ends, a final lab is drawn and the oncologist clears the warrior for routine care, what happens when their cancer war is won? This is called survivorship; it’s building a new life with new understandings and priorities.
Cancer’s aftermath often leaves the survivor feeling dramatically changed. Sometimes favorite foods no longer taste good. Bodies are physically scarred and minds are shaken. Anxiety is common and fear of cancer’s return is often unnerving. Many survivors, having fought a deadly disease, simply don’t view the world quite the same as they did before their diagnosis.
Relationships with family and close friends are often deeply impacted in cancer’s wake, as well. Many survivors will tell you they were flooded with support, empathy and love from caregivers during the battle. Their loved ones spurred them on with messages of strength and inspiration, never doubting, even in the most difficult moments, that the war would be won. As exhausting as the fight is for survivors, it can be equally traumatic for supporters, creating voids and the haunting need to reconnect.
Mercy’s Hall-Perrine Cancer Center understands that each cancer patient is on a life-changing journey, physically and spiritually. Treating the disease not only means fighting it through advanced care, unique treatment plans and specific technologies, it also means helping survivors regain balance and meaning in their lives. Our goal is to provide comprehensive, compassionate care from diagnosis through survivorship. From wellness programs to support groups, massage to salon services, Mercy walks the entire cancer journey with our patients.
We were able to expand upon our survivorship care this fall by escorting seven cancer survivors and their partners on a Rocky Mountain hiking excursion, thanks to generous donations to the center’s Family Cancer Resource Center.
Mercy’s group was led by Live by Living, a Colorado-based nonprofit. The organization’s founder, Dan Miller, created the initiative in honor of his wife, who lost her 19-year battle with breast cancer at the age of 53. She was an active outdoorswoman, who saw the peaceful grandeur of the mountains as an opportunity for self-reflection. She often escorted other cancer warriors on journeys through the Rockies, giving them a chance to truly breathe life in. When her diagnosis became terminal, others wondered at how she found the emotional strength to move on. She simply responded, “I live by living, I love by loving and I am courageous courageously.”
In homage to her spirit, Mr. Miller created Live by Living to continue her legacy of leading cancer survivors on a journey of rebirth. Through the power of nature and the shared camaraderie of being forever changed by cancer, individuals have an opportunity to make sense of survivorship, and embark on a new and transformative journey.
Guided by Mercy rehabilitation technicians, each survivor and partner physically prepared for the trip through weeks of fitness training to increase stamina and ready their bodies for the change in altitude. The training courses also allowed participants the chance to get to know one another.
Once in Colorado, the group camped and hiked in Boulder and Estes Park. For five days, they were able to step away from daily routines, enjoy the beauty of the mountains and strengthen the bonds that cancer tried to shake. A husband and wife on the excursion valued the opportunity to re-energize following two battles with breast cancer. A set of sisters appreciated the time to grow their sibling bond.
Survivors were also reminded of their physical strength, accomplishing a challenge which might have been unthinkable during treatment. One survivor said, “People were cheering us on … it was a great sense of accomplishment. If there’s a cancer survivor considering coming on this trip, I’m proof that you can do it.”
Each person found their own healing beauty in the journey – the ultimate goal of survivorship. Mercy’s Hall-Perrine Cancer Center hopes the life-changing retreat may become an annual tradition.
Tim Charles is president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center.
