Cancer Fighters Thrive

SPRING 2013

Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.

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MIND-BODY CONNECTION Moving Beyond Survivor Guilt By Laurie Wertich "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" —Mary Oliver me? This is a normal response to such an of guilt and sadness. Why did I survive overwhelming diagnosis. Why did I get this when others did not? Why was I so lucky? disease? Why am I sick when others are not? Why do I have to endure this treatment? C WHAT IS SURVIVOR GUILT? ancer survivorship can be Though generally unanswerable, it is a Survivor guilt is common among survivors accompanied by a unique completely reasonable question. of traumatic events—such as war, natural set of emotions—joy, grief, In the shift from diagnosis to treatment disasters, accidents, and even acute or long- fear, relief, deep gratitude, a and on to recovery, the primary question term illnesses such as cancer. Survivor guilt heightened sense of purpose, and an over- changes. More often than not, most can- refers to the sense of guilt or responsibility whelming sense of responsibility to live life cer patients move pretty quickly from Why that can occur when one person survives a to the fullest. me? to What's next? What do I need to do to traumatic event that others did not. And, But there is another nagging feeling that survive? How can I best care for myself dur- yes, cancer can be a traumatic event. can sneak into the mix: guilt. Survivorship ing treatment? What will I do with my pre- is such a blessing, yet in spite of that bless- cious life after treatment? "Not all of our patients experience cancer as a traumatic event," explains Rhonda Col- Here's where it gets interesting: in the ley, MS, LPT, LMFT, a mind-body therapist face of survivorship, many patients find at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® themselves also circling back around to (CTCA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "But even if WHY ME? that first question as they move beyond they aren't traumatized, they can still ex- The first question that many people ask diagnosis to treatment and recovery, only perience survivor guilt, which means basi- in the face of a cancer diagnosis is Why this time Why me? carries with it a twinge cally feeling guilty that they got through this ing, we often find ourselves reflecting on those who have not been as fortunate. 40 cancer fighters thrive | spring 2013 cfthrive.com

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