This link is dedicated to my aunt and my Grandpa
Kathy M. Moore
&
Wesley Moore
Tobacco smoking in its various forms is the single biggest cause of cancer.
However people still smoke.
Why?
One of my friends - "My name is Esther Girardin and for Bernards hair school of fashion 2008 competition I entered in the nail art category. My theme I chose was breast cancer awareness. I received first place in that category. This display is dedicated to all those that have lost their battle with breast cancer and to all those who are still fighting!"
I want to thank my aunt Kathy for giving me the inspiration to do my research paper on cancer. I can only hope to have as much determination and courage as she had. I try to be like she was every day, because she had so many qualities that I admire. It is very hard to follow her example. If I had to name one thing that I admire most about her, it would be that she lived every minute to the fullest!!!
This term paper is dedicated to
the courageous people that are fighting this disease
Bill Picard ES 102,
December 7, 1992
MIND OVER MATTER
Cancer has destroyed many lives, but most people don't
believe that you have a good chance even if you fight back. I had an aunt who
did believe that she had a chance, did fight back, and she lived many more
years than the doctors predicted. My aunt
Kathy had cancer for ten years and if she did not have a strong mental
attitude, she could never have made it that long. The
doctors tried everything possible, such as chemotherapy, radiation and a lot
of operations over the ten-year period. She made it
through all of that because she had a lot of support from
her friends and family, and a strong attitude. I have never met anyone, and I never will,
who has displayed such a strong will to survive and a mental attitude made of steel. She
would not let it beat her, right up until the last day. She carried that attitude through
everything, even through her battle against cancer. The mind has more power over the body
than most people think. If you have a good attitude about anything, like school or your
job, you will do it a lot better than if you have a bad attitude. This relates to
everything you encounter in your life including cancer. If you have loving support, as
well as a positive attitude about beating cancer, then you will have a better chance of conquering this disease.
The mental healing
process is a new way to treat cancer patients with the mind as well as the medicine.
Cancer is feared by many people because of the label people put on it. It is often
associated with a long and painful death, and with the loss of body parts, this isn't
always the case. Many people survive cancer with their bodies intact, but we seem to only
hear about the bad things. You don't hear about the people who beat the disease (Samuel
33). Millions of cancer patients can survive! People need to know this so that they don't
give up when they still have a chance. Cancer does not always mean death (Robbins, B18).
To date, 7 million cancer patients in America have overcome cancer. By the year 2000, this
number is expected to grow to 10 million (Dewitt 58). In order for one to overcome their
affliction with cancer, it is important that they have the quality medical care along with
the required positive attitude. Dr Spiegel, the founder of ECaP (exceptional cancer
patients), tells us that using the mind can not cure cancer alone, but it can enhance the
quality of life for those dying of cancer, and it can even prolong their lives (Goleman
B12). Dr. Spiegel believes that this treatment is very effective, but cautions against
relying on it solely. It can not be used as a substitute for medical treatment (Goleman
B12). Science has proven that our minds have a great influence on our health and body.
People view themselves by what they learn about themselves through what they go through and how they deal
with it. People with cancer might think of themselves as weak individuals just because
they allowed a terrible disease to take over their body (Samuel 59). The truth is that a
cancer patient can not let the disease get the best of them, and take over their mind.
With a positive attitude, and not a defeated one, they have a better chance at fighting
the disease (Samuel 59).
There are many kinds of therapy that cancer patients have used to
maintain a positive attitude while fighting cancer. One anticancer imagery technique that
was made famous at the Limonton Cancer Institute, Pacific Palisades, California, teaches
cancer patients to picture the cancer cells inside of their body. Then they are taught to
visualize other cells beating the cancer cells, and to see themselves as cancer free
(Complete 501). Psychotherapy is a widely used practice in fighting cancer. Not only can
it help you deal with cancer emotionally, but it can also help you fight it physically by
teaching patients that in order to have a healthy body, one needs to possess a sound mind
(Samuel 23). Dr. Siegel is convinced that the mind can strengthen the immune system, and
therefore fight cancer (Complete 496). After observing patients who were dealing with and
coping with the disease, he said: "As I saw people learning how to live with their
illnesses, I saw them having incredible control over their wellness. They were getting
better and I didn't have to lift a finger." He even said that "sometimes their cancer
disappeared" (qtd. in Complete 495).
Mind/body therapy has been increasing in
hospitals because it has been proven to be effective in cancer centers for prolonging
people's lives and improving the quality of them (Complete 495). In a study of women who
underwent psychotherapy it was found that "...after one year, the women in the
therapy group reported less depression, anxiety, and pain than did the others
(women who
had no therapy)" (Goleman B12). Also, the women who had psychotherapy "lived
almost twice as long on the average as those who did not participate" in the therapy
(Goleman B12). The women who had therapy lived about 37 months from the beginning of the
study as opposed to 19 months for the others. After ten years, only 3 of all the women who
participated in the research was still alive, and all 3 were in therapy (Goleman B12).
Researchers do believe that it is better to wait at least four months before starting
psychological therapy because they have to deal with getting cancer first. People who
received therapy later, reacted better than those who got therapy right after their
diagnosis (Dohney E5). These findings are too good to be ignored. Everyone who experiences
any kind of illness, especially cancer, should at least try these approaches to fighting
back. There is so much to be gained, and nothing to be lost by trying. In his book A
Psychological Approach To Cancer, Dr.Jacob Samuel claims that "You can do
anything you believe you can, providing you know
you're not alone" (114). He also says that "...love, when its true nature is
properly understood, can be a force sweeping toxins out of the body, building
up cells, reawakening, renewing, strengthening and healing" (88). Along with a
positive attitude, love and support can help a patient to fight the cancer.
Self-help groups have been proven to be effective in prolonging the lives of
cancer patients a great deal.
In a study done at Stanford University by Dr. Spiegel and his colleagues,
evidence has been found that people who attend self-help groups experience
less pain than those who don't participate in groups (Complete 472). Self-help
groups are an added support for a cancer patient on top of love from friends
and family, or in some cases, a substitute for lack of friends and family.
People in the self-help groups really know how you feel because they are going
through the same experiences that you are, but others (friends and family)
can't possibly know what it feels like to have cancer unless they have or had
it themselves (Complete 475). Some of the main goals that support groups work
towards are creating a sense of self control, providing a means for the cancer
patients to learn more about dealing with the disease, helping them to come to
terms with their fear of death, creating ways for them to feel better about
themselves and their purpose in life, providing a means for people to get
together who have the same problems and create friendships, and learning how
to talk to their doctors about what is wrong and how to get better
(Complete 473-475). Self-help groups have a cycle which consists of three steps. The first
is to bond with the group which sounds difficult, but seems to be pretty easy for patients
to do. The second step is to begin to trust the other members and to share personal
thoughts with them. The third step is experiencing empathy among group members. This cycle
is repeated over and over again with each meeting of the group. This kind of support
cannot be attained through therapy and a loving family because the members have a
"shared experience" that the best therapist or family member cannot understand.
Even the closest families like "The Waltons" cannot create this special
kind of connection that members of self-help groups can (Complete 466-477).
These are the words of a cancer patient's description of a self-help group:
"The example set by other members seemed to strengthen people - I saw that
each one could take it and they existed each day and that is what turned my
life around" (Complete 470).
According to Dennis T. Jaffe, Ph.D., author of Healing From Within, coming
to terms with the factthat you have cancer greatly lowers the pressure of
having it, and it has been proven that stress hinders the capabilities of your
immune system. He says that "...prolonging your life or defending your body
could be a possible by-product of self-help groups - but it's not a primary
effect" (Complete 471). He insists, however that people should not expect a cure from joining a self-help group, although
it has been proven to be helpful. Cancer patients should join the groups in order to
enhance their lives (Complete 472). It must be remembered that family members are also
greatly affected by the cancer and there are groups for them to join also. The self-help
groups for family members are many times just a place for them to release anger about the
disease that their loved one is experiencing (Complete 477). A person's attitude will
either make or break them in the battle against cancer. If a person has a negative
attitude he or she will greatly lessen the chances at beating cancer. There is scientific
proof that "patients' emotional states can affect the course of their disease"
(Goleman "DFC" C1).
One reason that some patients have negative attitudes is
because they feel guilty about getting cancer because of what they have done in the past,
and because they deserve it as punishment for what they have done. When people go to see a
doctor on a regular basis, they have a much better chance at beating the disease than if
they don't see a doctor. Because they feel bad about themselves having cancer, and think
that they don't deserve to beat it, they sometimes deny themselves the right to a doctor
(Samuel 106). In A Psychological Approach To Cancer, Dr. Jacob Samuel says: No
matter what form it takes - lack of faith in yourself or lack of faith in others - unlovingness
is unhealthy. It sets up a chain of negative thinking that pervades every act
we perform
and every emotion we feel (87). Samuel also says that if people keep all of
their emotions locked up inside, they are wasting valuable energy that they could be using
to fight off the cancer (28). It doesn't help if you try to deny or ignore cancer, this
just makes the situation worse. If you confront the fact that you have cancer, your
recovery will go a lot smoother (Dohney E5). Another reason for negative attitudes of
cancer patients is that a lot of people hear stories about how horrible radiation and
chemotherapy are and that they will make you more miserable than dying naturally from the
cancer. They don't even try to fight the cancer because of these negative thoughts and
fears (Robbins B18). Another way that the attitude of the patient can affect the course of
their disease and their life in general is that they don't do everything that they should
be doing to take care of themselves after their treatment. Also a negative attitude can
cause a patient to not care about taking his or her medication regularly. The depression
can also affect the immune system in a negative way that can hurt a patient's healing
process (Goleman C8).
Many people deal with cancer in different ways. These are some of them:
*Seeking social support, such as talking to someone about feelings. *Using 'distancing' measures, such as making
light of the disease. *Focusing on the positive, such as rediscovering what is important
in life. *Wishful thinking, such as hoping for a miracle, and trying behavioral escapes
such as overeating (Doheny E5). A lot of people change their way of living after they are
diagnosed with cancer like Jane Mayer a cancer patient who said: I've stopped waiting for
sales. Now if I search the stores for a pretty dress, it's to wear out to dinner- tonight.
If I cook a delicious meal, it's to savor- tonight. If I stroll along the shore, it's to
enjoy a walk with my husband's
hand in mine. I focus on the moment-here the gulls squawk
as they soar, feel the foam 'round my ankles, watch the blazing sunset. I've stopped
scheming, prearranging, and preparing. I haven't lost the future; I've found today (Mayer
14). Most people with cancer don't know how much longer they have to live so they try to
get more things done each day. As in Kathleen Sylvester's case: I became a sunrise, not a
sunset, watcher, waking every morning promptly at 4 to make lists: things to tell people,
books to read and deeds I could perform that would make me deserve to stay alive (8). Michael Landon, a famous
actor who had cancer, said at his press conference: "I am going to fight it
.....Every moment gets a little more important after something like this. Live every
minute guys"!(Landon B3).
A positive attitude can be crucial in your way to recovery. It has been
proven that positive attitudes "affect the quality, and perhaps the quantity
of life" (Complete 494). We are able to talk to our own conscience and
persuade ourselves to believe certain things. That's why positive thinking is
important to our physical well being (Samuel 124). The doctors told my aunt
that she would only live for about three years after her diagnosis. She went
through a lot of treatments over the ten years that she lived, but she
believed in the power of the mind over the body in helping to fight
cancer. She always said: "I am going to beat it." With her determination, she
got through ten years. I don't think that she would have made it that long if
she didn't have such a positive attitude. My aunt was right about beating
cancer with your mind along with treatment. It really can be done, and it has
been proven. Every minute of your life is precious. Just like Michael Landon
said, "Live every minute guys!!!"
Works Cited Doheny, Kathleen. "The Many Ways Of Coping With Cancer." Los Angeles Times 21, April 1992:E5. Elmer-Dewitt, Philip. "Running against cancer." Time Mar. 1992:58-59. Goleman, Daniel. "Cancer Patients Benefit From Therapy Groups." The New York Times 23, Nov. 1989:B7. Goleman, Daniel. "Doctors Find Comfort Is A Potent Medicine." The New York Times 26, Nov. 1991:B6. "Landon Ill With Cancer, Pledges To Fight Disease." (Staff and Wire Reports) Los Angeles Times 9, April 1991:B3. Mayer, Jane. "Focusing On The Moment." Newsweek 11, May 1992:14. Robbins, William. "Spreading The Word: Cancer Is Beatable." The New York Times 4, June 1990:A15. Samuel, Jacob Ph.D. A Psychological Approach To Cancer. U.S.A.: The Institute of Applied Psychology, Inc., 1964. Sylvester, Kathleen. "Living With Cancer." The Washington Post 9 July 1991:WH8. The Complete Book Of Cancer Prevention. Eds. of Prevention Magazine Health Books. Rodale Press, Inc, 1988.
Helpful links
Cancer Treatment Centers of America: Driven by a vision to be the worldwide leader in the field, CTCA is on the leading edge of cancer treatment and has been for over 20 years. Through aggressive research involving innovative new techniques and therapies, we apply the results of this research faster than many can imagine. We battle this disease with many weapons and we never give up. Physically, Cancer Treatment Centers of America is a network of cancer treatment hospitals and facilities. But it's much more than that. CTCA programs can be a cancer patient's greatest ally when it comes to fighting cancer. Because we understand that cancer doesn't just affect a part of your body—it affects all of you and everything in your life. So that's how we treat it. Top to bottom, inside and out, it's total care for the mind, body and spirit.
Cancer.gov: This Web site provides current and accurate information from the National Cancer Institute, the Federal government's principal agency for cancer research. You will find a wide range of cancer information, including treatment options, clinical trials, ways to reduce cancer risk, ways to cope with cancer, and resources for researchers and health care professionals.
ICHT Therapy: Intracellular Hyperthermia Therapy (ICHT) is a revolutionary new therapy that can be used to treat many cancers such as aggressive malignancies of the breast, colon, lung, prostate, ovaries, liver, pancreas, and brain to mention a few. This therapy can also be used to treat Lyme disease and additionally is being tested on other conditions which react to Hypothermic Therapy.
CancerGuide is dedicated to helping you find the answers to your questions about cancer, and especially to helping you find the questions you need to ask.
Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation: The Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, formerly the Cancer Research Foundation of America, is a national, non-profit health foundation with a single mission: the prevention and early detection of cancer through scientific research and education.
Research and learn about cancer, it might save your life!