Christmas can be a real challenge when going through cancer. Aside from the financial burden that may limit the number of boxes under the tree, the emotional burden can dampen what is usually a happy and cheerful time of year.
BY Kathy LaTour
PUBLISHED December 26, 2017
Kathy LaTour is a breast cancer survivor, author of The Breast Cancer Companion and co-founder of CURE magazine. While cancer did not take her life, she has given it willingly to educate, empower and enlighten the newly diagnosed and those who care for them.
Christmas can be a real challenge when going through cancer. Aside from the financial burden that may limit the number of boxes under the tree, the emotional burden can dampen what is usually a happy and cheerful time of year.
One year, my support group worked on ways to save Christmas while going through cancer. Our reason was that a rather new member was really struggling because her children demanded that nothing changed from the holidays they have always known. In addition, her two older children knew more of the reality of what was happening and told the two younger kids to lay off with their demands. Mom was doing all she could. Of course, the younger children, depending on what they have been told about the cancer and mom's condition, didn't understand. They just know that it's Christmas and they want to go to the country and cut down a tree, like always.
One year, my support group worked on ways to save Christmas while going through cancer. Our reason was that a rather new member was really struggling because her children demanded that nothing changed from the holidays they have always known. In addition, her two older children knew more of the reality of what was happening and told the two younger kids to lay off with their demands. Mom was doing all she could. Of course, the younger children, depending on what they have been told about the cancer and mom's condition, didn't understand. They just know that it's Christmas and they want to go to the country and cut down a tree, like always.
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