Earlier this week, I had the honor of speaking on the topic of supporting individuals affected by cancer as part of the Visiting American Professionals Program, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. I shared my own story, some facts about cancer, and then practical tips and strategies to support cancer patients, as well as their caretakers and families. One of the points that I mentioned in the presentation is that cancer can affect anyone - anyone!
This is the first time I've given a talk in a professional setting on this topic, and it required quite a bit of preparation and thought. I wanted to be cognizant of the very real challenges that individuals face related to access, quality, and affordability of care and treatment. I noted some of the ways that I maintain a positive attitude and hope; drawing from reflections I've shared previously in this blog, and sharing tips for affirmations, exercise, and a healthy diet. I hope that these were useful for participants.
Though I couldn't see the audience, I was overwhelmed by the incredibly thoughtful questions posed during the Q&A part of the presentation. They provided me an opportunity to reflect on the spot, but I hope to think about these questions further. Some of the participants' very earnest questions included:
How has cancer affected or changed your life?
How do you communicate a diagnosis to a loved one?
How do you take cultural issues into account?
Does blogging help to deal with cancer?
Did you have any changes in taste during treatment?
How do you stay hopeful?
I hope to answer some of these in posts to come...stay tuned!
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