Are you a cancer survivor?
A cancer survivor is an individual who has or had any form of cancer and is still living. There are many types of cancer and the average survival rate is dependant on several factors. Approximately, 1.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each year. There are over eleven million cancer survivors in the United States according to the latest published report by the US National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER). This number represents people diagnosed in the past and newly diagnosed cancer patients.
Cancer survivors often experience a wide range of emotions following treatment and remission. Emotions can turn from relief, gratitude and excitement of beating the disease to fear and uncertainty of the future. It is important for cancer survivors to follow their doctor’s recommendations to reduce their risk of cancer recurrence. Be sure to go to all follow up medical appointments, eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy body weight. It is also important for cancer survivors to keep stress levels as low as possible.
There are many organizations and support groups available to help cancer survivors. It may be helpful to connect to others who have survived the same diagnosis. Depression is common among cancer survivors and patients. It is important to talk to your doctor about emotions you may be experiencing, including depression. Medication, therapy, and support groups may help with depression.
More Information on Life After Cancer
Cited References:
Wikipedia
American Cancer Society I
American Cancer Society II
Cancer.net