A cancer diagnosis can turn worlds upside down. From impacting the patient to their loved ones, this experience has the capability to affect more than just the physical well-being of the individual with cancer.
“It’s a form of grieving process,” said Bailey Pyle, a licensed professional counselor at Burrell Behavioral Health. “It’s a grief over the loss of our health or what we expected our health to be. It’s a grieving process over what we expected the next years of our life to look like.”
The mental health impacts of a cancer diagnosis can be wide-ranging and spread beyond the patient.
“It’s going to impact people in different ways,” Pyle said. “It’s going to impact their family, their kiddos, their extended family.”
There’s no single cancer awareness month. Instead, awareness efforts are divided across the calendar year. November is National Lung, Pancreatic and Gastric Cancer Awareness Month.
No matter the type of cancer someone is battling, Pyle said it’s important for supporters to approach the topic with caution.
“Step one is asking ourselves, ‘What would I want somebody to say to me if I had a cancer diagnosis?’” she said.
Pyle said it’s also important to be aware of an individual with cancer’s level of privacy, and be willing to listen, even if the topic is uncomfortable.
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“Let them kind of steer the ship on when and how they talk about their diagnosis or treatment,” she said.
A big part of navigating these conversations with care is thinking through certain responses.
“Thinking through prognosis, instead of saying things like, ‘Everything’s going to be great, you’re going to be fine,’ saying things like, ‘Please know I’m here for you throughout this journey,’” Pyle said. “Sometimes people don’t feel hopeful and it can be hard to hear things that kind of feel superficial.”
Pyle said offering acts of service can be a great way to make an individual with cancer feel supported. These actions could include starting a meal train or a fundraiser.
Other topics Pyle suggests avoiding in conversation when talking to someone with cancer includes commenting on their appearance and inserting your own experiences.
“Keep it centered on the individual, like, ‘I’m so sorry you’re going through this,’ instead of relating our own personal experiences with cancer,” Pyle said.
Resources for cancer support include: