This year World Cancer day 2022 is kicking off a 3 year campaign focussing on closing the care gap, making the same care accessible for all, addressing the barriers that prevent people accessing care and tackling misconceptions.
If you are living with cancer no doubt you have met plenty of people who want to tell you the story of when their relative had cancer and in our experience most of these stories don’t end well, the last thing you want to hear when you are trying to get through treatment and keep your head above water. The truth is people revert to a story they know, be it good or bad because they feel awkward and don’t know what else to say, these stories come from well intended places but are just so far from what we need.
Its so important that we normalise talking about cancer, yes it can have devastating consequences and should never be taken lightly but treatments have advanced, people are living well for longer and yet perceptions are so very far behind. we want to teach not only our children but friends and family that it’s ok to say that big bad C word out loud, that talking and communicating openly means we, the person with cancer can feel better supported, but also our friends, family and children get the love and attention they deserve too. Lets stop having those awkward uncomfortable conversations and turn them in to positive and meaningful interactions.
Our resources are primarily designed to help children process the diagnosis and treatment pathways of their loved one but we also hope they will empower future generations to be confident about their bodies, be self aware and empowered to act on any health concerns as they arise. So many people experience delays in diagnosis through fear of seeing their doctor when they notice a problem, fear of hearing the words cancer, there are already too many barriers to receiving the right cancer care fear should no longer be one of them.
A few of our top tips for breaking down the communication barriers that surround the topic of cancer,
▪Be honest, if someone starts to tell you a story that you don’t want to hear, it’s ok to say ‘thank you for trying to help but this is not what I need to hear‘
▪Find people that get it, join support groups, attend events or connect with people online that have a similar mindset
▪️Be open with the people closest to you, it’s likely they will be feeling the strain too, talking openly will enable you to support each other.
▪️Its ok if your needs change, sometimes we want people to ask us how we feel and other times we would rather not talk about it, this is completely normal and often a difficult balancing act.
▪️Surround yourself with people that make you feel happy and distance yourself from the those that give off a negative vibe
▪️Don’t be afraid to ask for help, there are many different types of therapy whether it be talking therapy, art therapy, excercise, or relaxation therapy
Lets work together to break down those barriers, close the gap and empower future generations not just today but everyday.
All our love
Nic and Jen 🌈🌈