there are literally hundreds of diseases and conditions that are marked each year, some on specific days, like terry fox day on aug 22. others have entire weeks dedicated to sharing information and resources such as mental health week, which runs from may 4 to may 10. blood cancer gets a whole month, and i think it’s awesome.
awesome because there is a lot to talk about when it comes to blood cancers. there are around 137 kinds — the top three most common ones being lymphoma, leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. an estimated 138,000 canadians live with — or are in remission from — some form of blood cancer, and we can expect more than 20,000 people to be diagnosed with one this year alone. sadly, about 20 people die of a blood cancer every day.
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years ago, i wrote about the gaps that exist in support for people living with cancer. it was in response to a story that appeared in newsweek about the impact that cancer has on intimacy and relationships, especially when treatment has altered a person’s body, such as the loss of a breast. my story went a bit further and looked at how there didn’t have to be physical scars from cancer to experience difficulties with intimacy – that a cancer diagnosis in itself is enough to cause the anxiety, depression and grief that can leave relationships in shambles, and destroy sexual identities.
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my first instinct always when someone asks me how we should fill this gap is to rhyme off grandiose processes that would see psychosocial support made available to all cancer patients at, during, and after diagnosis. and not just made available, but made easy . it would be more than just an off-the-cuff comment about how “there are counsellors available down the hall, if you want to make an appointment.” it would be more like someone introducing themselves to you in the waiting room after you check in for your appointment: “hi, i’m nancy, and i’m here if you want to chat about how things are going.”
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