Don't Let Cancer Ransom the Joy of the Holiday Season

Are you trying to get ready for the holidays in addition to being newly diagnosed with cancer, receiving active treatment or coping with survivorship? It’s not an easy task.

BY Barbara Tako

PUBLISHED November 10, 2017

Barbara Tako is a breast cancer survivor (2010), melanoma survivor (2014) and author of Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools–We'll Get You Through This. She is a cancer coping advocate, speaker and published writer for television, radio and other venues across the country. She lives, survives, and thrives in Minnesota with her husband, children and dog. See more at www.cancersurvivorshipcopingtools.com or www.clutterclearingchoices.com.

The holidays can be difficult and taxing without adding cancer to the equation. The disease is absolutely stressful enough.

My advice: Don’t let cancer ransom the joy of the season from you. This year I am really missing my mom. As cancer survivors, it’s hard not to wonder how long we will be around to have the holidays with the people we love. So, don’t let cancer thoughts win. Let the unhappy thoughts happen when they pop into your mind, acknowledge them, and then move on to your celebrations. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, but consider the thoughts below that I find to be helpful.