From the initial shock and loss that comes with a devastating health diagnosis to overcoming barriers and choosing positivity; resilience is a recurring theme that has surfaced through my interviews with brain tumor/cancer book authors and survivors. I strongly believe our messages of hope and the lessons we have learned, can help people to cope with any medical crisis (including COVID-19).
Most of us go through an emotional process that requires time and patience as we endure surgeries and treatments, but once we learn to accept what is – we end up reinventing ourselves and we transform from survivors into thrivers.
Below are 10 words deriving from “resilience” and inspired by the interviews:
Recovery.
Endurance.
Strength.
Inspiration.
Laughter.
Introspection.
Educate.
Navigate.
Courage.
Empathy.
The following are some of my favorite quotes from the interviews (the specific interviews are hyperlinked to the photos). Additionally, the links to the books can be found here: https://2ndchance2live.com/suggestedreading/
“Armed with faith, hope, and an abundance of love, this farm girl is prepared to fight!”
“Cancer is evil and unfair, but it also allowed me to learn from it. Change breeds opportunity. I was taking advantage of the disease, not letting it take advantage of me. I was making this my experience where I took cancer along for the ride, not the other way around.”
“Every day can be a new beginning, even if moments right before that seemed like an ending.”
-Rick Franzo, How Horseshoes Saved My Life – A tale of two brain tumors.
“We all have the capacity within us to make the world a better place.”
“I feel I have rediscovered life after a brain tumor, a new life and I love it!”
– Nathalie Jacob, 8: Rediscovering Life After a Brain Tumor.
“But then I reminded myself that I will take opportunities now, life is too short.”
-Claire Bullimore, author of multiple brain tumor books and founder of Aunty M Brain Tumours
“I have learned to have empathy toward others, not to sweat the little things, and always keep it all in perspective.”
-Isabel Neidorf, 17-year brain cancer survivor and the inspiration behind Heart of the Brain
“I am now fifteen years post Stage 3 Brain Cancer, recurrence-free. I did this through luck, through medical care, and through creating things that needed to be finished.”
-Richard Harvey, 20 Poems 20 Paintings A Creative Warrior’s Journal
“Feeling an overwhelming sense that I have to do ‘something positive’ with my life now. This is my second chance. Knowing somehow I need to help others and that I can.”
-Jo Barlow, IT’S ALL IN MY HEAD: How to Survive a Brain Tumour and Find Peace of Mind.
“It’s helped me to see I’m not the only one, and it’s important to share my story to help others.”
“So I choose to live in the now. I definitely live for memories, the good days, and hugs! Just because life doesn’t look the way I had hoped or dreamed about it’s okay because we have all three of our kids here on earth.”
-Jenny Shapiro, mother of Alexis Shapiro (9-year brain tumor survivor)
Lastly, although this one wasn’t from an interview… I felt compelled to share it too:
“I learned that just because something is scary and we might cry about what’s happening, it’s also okay to laugh and have fun.”
-Noé Santana and Wendy Santana, That Thing on my Mom’s Brain
Hello. My name is Wendy and I’m a recovering workaholic. I'm also a brain tumor/cancer survivor.
The purpose of this blog is to share my experiences, memories, resources, and self-discoveries as I continue to transform from a workaholic into a more balanced person. I have read several books and stories about others who have had similar experiences 