In a feature interview with Thrive Global for its series, Inspirational Stories of People Who Beat Cancer, Kimberly shared her story of how she found out she had advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma, how she coped with the diagnosis and her advice for others who have recently been diagnosed with cancer. Below is an excerpt from the article.
How did you react in the short term to your diagnosis?
I tried to arm myself with knowledge and read information on the internet. When I read through survival statistics, that’s when the diagnosis was more real and palpable.
Before I met with my oncologist, I researched and wrote down questions to ask. This was my way of feeling in control of the situation, even though I wasn’t. But I wanted to be an advocate for myself and own my diagnosis. After I asked the first question, my doctor began addressing everything else I had written down so this gave me comfort and trust in him.
I also immediately connected with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and even before I knew what my treatment was going to look like, I had organized a team for their Light the Night fundraiser. This allowed me to be proactive and focused on something else other than my diagnosis. I wanted to give back and ended up proudly being fundraiser of the year.
What did you learn about yourself from this very difficult experience? How has cancer shaped your worldview? What has it taught you that you might never have considered before?
I learned that you are not given anything you can’t handle. You are a lot stronger and resilient than you think. It’s better to know that now than have to prove it to yourself while going through something like cancer!
Having cancer allowed me to be even more open-minded and compassionate. To be human can be a tough assignment and everyone at some point will face adversity. When people are at a low point, show compassion. When they are doing well, celebrate that. And don’t compare yourself — everyone has a different life and journey. It looks different and should. Going through something hard allowed me to embrace that. The more life you live and embrace your own challenges, it makes it easier to be open and embrace others.
Based on your experiences and knowledge, what advice would you give to others who have recently been diagnosed with cancer? What are your “5 Things You Need To Beat Cancer?
My tips for dealing with cancer in the best way possible, include:
1. Be prepared and organized. Depending on your diagnosis, there may be different approaches — do your research. Get yourself the best team possible. Don’t go with one recommendation. Go with doctor that has most experience in the type of cancer that you have and a good track record.
2. Surround yourself with positive influences. Cancer is scary and it’s normal to be fearful, but do whatever you can to have a winning attitude. Have flowers in your house; interact with good people; establish boundaries with people; take anxiety medication if you need it. Do what you can to manage fear and anxiety during that time.
3. Incorporate fresh air and movement. This won’t look same for everyone, but it’s important to have some type of exercise. This could be going for a run or just light yoga and stretching. Get outside and be in sunlight.
4. Pay attention to what you’re listening to. Even if you can’t do anything else, you can lay and listen to podcasts, music and audio books. This is a good distraction to prevent your mind from turning to negative thoughts.
5. Make a list of things you enjoy and people you can turn to. Before you start treatment, put together a list of people that you can ask for help. It’s good to have this lined up prior to chemo because you don’t know what how you’re going to feel. Be prepared rather than getting stuck and not having resources. Connection is also important during this time and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, friends can pitch in. This also gives loved ones the gift of helping you.
Read the full Thrive Global interview here.