Friday, July 26, 2019

One Spark for Patients with Cancer and Survivors

A cancer survivor tells readers how we can warm people up with a small spark even when we do not feel well.


PUBLISHED July 24, 2019

Jane has earned three advanced degrees and had several fulfilling careers as a librarian, rehabilitation counselor and college teacher. Presently she does freelance writing. Her articles include the subjects of hearing loss and deafness, service dogs and struggling with cancer. She has been a cancer survivor since 2010.

She has myelodysplastic syndrome, which is rare, and would love to communicate with others who have MDS.
I have written before about how sad I feel because I don’t have the energy to do what I did before I received my diagnosis of cancer.

Part of my sadness is because I was forced to quit two careers where I felt I was making a difference as a counselor and teacher.

However, because of my compromised immune system I am also unable to be part of initiatives like the “Pay it Forward" movement endorsed by CURE®, where I would visit and encourage newly diagnosed patients with cancer. This is unsafe for me and has occurred not only because of the chemo and the non-curable cancer, but also because I have endured a rare IgA immune deficiency since birth.

    


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