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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26 C A NCER FIGH T ER S THRI V E | sUMMER 20 15 C A NCERFIGHTER S THRI V E .COM Ken and Selena kept positive atti- tudes throughout the journey, thanks to the dozens of encouraging cards they received in the mail. "I brought the cards with me for inspiration," Ken says. "Some were from people we knew, but a lot of the cards I received were from people I honestly didn't know from local churches and our community." That gesture touched Ken. "I kept every card I received in the mail. I had a lot of free time during chemo, and I'd look through them there," he explains. "That was really neat." Reminders of family helped Ken and Selena, too. "Looking at pictures of the kids helped me know that they were close. It was very comforting," Selena says. "Anything that had to do with the kids would really help Ken out. I could see that talking to them lifted his spirits." On some occasions Ken and Selena brought their two children, ages nine and 12, with them to the hospital. "Bringing the kids to the hospital put their minds at ease because they could see what Daddy was going through," Selena explains. "Plus, there was so much for the kids to do. They spent time in the game room, and my daughter and I did painting activities. Having them there made it easier on the whole family." Along the way CTCA became a second home for the Butlers, complete with a loving and supportive family. Ken recalls the time when Joey, one of the infusion nurses, brought him a cake on his birthday, a special moment that touched the couple. They also fondly remember nominat- ing a CTCA employee named Stepha- nie for special recognition and then having the opportunity to present her with the award to thank her for all she did for them. "We have gotten to know so many people at CTCA," says Selena. "We feel like they are our family." Create Your Own Home Throughout Treatment As each of these unique stories makes clear, small steps to make your treat- ment environment comforting and homelike can make a big difference in how you feel throughout your journey. Taylor encourages patients struggling with being away from home to spend some time thinking about what they might do to enhance their treatment space because it is frequently something they have the ability to change. She suggests that patients ask themselves questions like these: What's my favorite place in my home? What is it about that place that I fnd so nurturing? Is it a color? Fabric? People? The activities I do in that space? Then she encourages patients to think about how they might be able to bring a piece of that room with them to the hospital. "Maybe we can't move CTCA to your hometown," Taylor says, "but there are ways to make your space in the hospital more meaningful and intentional to you while you're here." No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results. t Ken and Selena Butler with their children.