Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/507057
SUMMER 20 15 | C A NCER FIGH T ER S THRI V E 19 C A NCERFIGHTER S THRI V E .COM by using hashtags (tags that allow others to search a specifc keyword or topic). She adds hashtags like #breast- cancer and #chemo on her posts to help other women with breast cancer fnd her and make a connection through their shared experience. The support and encouragement she receives from perfect strangers continue to inspire Dr. Sherman to share her journey through social me- dia: "I love it!" she says. "People you've never met before cheer you on, and I do the same for them." Finding Friendship and Community Through Facebook As a registered nurse for 37 years, taking care of others has always been a major part of Sheila Herron's life. After three shocking cancer diag- noses (squamous cell skin cancer, lung cancer and a rare breast cancer) over the past fve years, Sheila has maintained a positive attitude—and a strong desire to help and support others. Her commitment to support- ing other patients led Sheila to begin sharing her cancer journey online as soon as she was diagnosed. She saw sharing as a way to help other people who may be going through their own diffcult journey. "The scariest part of cancer is the unknown," Sheila explains. A conversation with Jill Tompkins- Gullickson, a fellow patient at CTCA in Zion, inspired the creation of an online platform for patients to write FEATURE Write Your Cancer arrative Want to start documenting your cancer journey? These tips from Tifany Glisson, MSW, Mind-Body Therapist at CTCA, can help you start writing, whether online, in a traditional journal or through a colorful vision board. • Choose the medium that suits you. Consider your own goals and comfort level. If you are a private person, you may not feel comfortable writing a public blog, so writing in a journal may be a better option for you. On the other hand, if you feel alone or want to share your story with others, blogging or posting on Facebook might be the way you choose to communicate your message. • Write consistently. Research from James W. Pennebaker suggests that writing for 20 minutes a day for three days in a row is all a person has to do to gain the benefts of writing about stressful experiences. It takes discipline to write every day, but the more you do it, the quicker it becomes a habit. • Approach your writing nonjudgmentally. Your writing is an opportunity to get to know yourself, vent, rant and relax on the page. The act of writing is as important as what you write, if not more. You don't even have to read what you have written aferward. • Create a gratitude journal. When going through cancer treatment, it can be challenging to fnd joy. Consider creating a gratitude journal. To do this, write down three things you are grateful for every single day. Here's the catch: They must be three separate and diferent things every day. Examples include: "Hear- ing a baby laugh." "The sun is shining." "I received an unexpected phone call from a friend." • Write in an old-fashioned journal. Grab a notebook and write in your journal every day for 15 to 20 minutes. Write about the feelings and emotions behind the events you are documenting. It is important to remember not to edit yourself as you write; simply get your thoughts and feelings on the page. Sometimes it can be challenging to think of a topic to write about. Here are some prompts to get started: ✼ Write a letter to your teenage self. What would you want him or her to know? ✼ How can I be nurturing to myself when I am in pain? (physical or emotional) ✼ What would you like your future self to know? ✼ What is the dominant emotion in your life right now? ✼ Some of the things that make me happy/sad/excited/angry are... (pick one and write about it) • Turn to social media. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be another benefcial way to journal experiences and share your thoughts and feelings throughout the cancer journey. This way you can keep friends and loved ones up-to-date while also receiving their support. • Launch a blog. When you create a blog, you are able to write whatever you want, put it out there and share it with the general public. It is a way to share your feelings but can also be very inspiring to those who read it. Consider using a free platform like WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr or CarePages to get started. • Make a vision board. Vision boards are visual representations of what you want to see happen in your life. Get a poster board and magazines and cut out words, phrases, pictures and colors that resonate with you. Hang your vision board in a place where you can see it every single day.