Empowering the Mind: Strategies for Coping with Cancer-Related Anxiety

Two people sitting in chairs discussing anxiety.

The journey through diagnosis and treatment is undoubtedly stressful, and filled with moments of fear and uncertainty. While the end of treatment is a cause for celebration, many survivors find themselves grappling with a new set of emotions. That’s why the need for support doesn’t end after cancer treatment. 

Research shows that cancer survivors are more likely to experience anxiety and distress than their healthy counterparts. The fear of recurrence is a common concern, and worries about finances, body image changes, and managing long-term health needs can also add to the mental burden.

It’s important to remember that these fears are valid and that you’re not alone. At Survivor Fitness, we’ve witnessed this firsthand throughout our years of working with hundreds of cancer survivors on their recovery journeys. It is also why we’re passionate about incorporating mental health support as a key pillar of one of our programs. In this blog post, we aimed to equip cancer survivors with practical strategies for navigating and overcoming cancer-related anxiety.

What To Do When Cancer-Related Anxiety Shows Up

Here are some strategies to empower yourself and navigate cancer-related anxiety with resilience:

1. Acknowledge Your Emotions

Don’t shy away from negative feelings like fear and anxiety. Naming them is the first step to managing them. Talking about your feelings with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can help you understand the root cause and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Remember, these emotions are a normal part of survivorship.

2. Don’t Dismiss Your Fears

Telling yourself not to worry won’t make the anxiety disappear. Instead, accept that fear might arise at times and focus on strategies to manage it. For example, “scanxiety” before follow-up imaging is perfectly normal. Acknowledge it, and have some calming techniques ready.

3. Seek Support

You are not alone in this. Find people who can help you navigate life after treatment, just like the specialists who guided you during your diagnosis and treatment. There are therapists and counselors specializing in cancer survivorship who can equip you with powerful coping strategies. Consider joining a support group for cancer survivors. A group of people with shared experiences can be incredibly comforting and empowering.

4. Try Therapy

It can be helpful to talk about your experience and equip yourself with new tools to manage your cancer-related anxiety. A therapist specializing in cancer survivorship can be a game-changer. They can help you process your emotions, develop coping mechanisms for specific anxieties, and address concerns related to recurrence, body image, and more.

5. Cultivate Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness practices like meditation can significantly reduce anxiety and improve your overall mental well-being. Apps like Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations specifically designed to manage anxiety and stress.

6. Maintain Regular Medical Follow-Ups

Sticking to your scheduled check-ups and screenings can provide a sense of reassurance and early detection of any potential issues. Having a clear follow-up plan with your healthcare team can significantly reduce anxieties about recurrence.

7. Embrace Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Nourish your body with balanced nutrition, prioritize regular exercise, and try to get quality sleep. These healthy habits contribute to your overall well-being and can lessen anxiety about recurrence.

8. Connect with Loved Ones

Open communication about your anxieties and needs fosters understanding and strengthens your support system. Lean on your close network of family and friends. Recognize that they still want to support you, and be willing to share where you are and what you need. 

9. Discover New Passions

Engaging in hobbies you enjoy provides a healthy distraction from anxiety and enhances your quality of life. Now might also be the time to discover new hobbies. Creative outlets like art, music, or gardening can be particularly therapeutic.

Survivor Fitness: Your Path to Thriving

At Survivor Fitness, we understand the unique challenges faced by cancer survivors post-treatment. We offer comprehensive programs designed to be a cornerstone of your support system, encompassing your entire well-being.

Our programs feature personalized 1-on-1 training to help you regain strength and confidence, nutritional coaching to optimize your health, and mental health support to address any emotional hurdles you might encounter.

If you’re looking for a program designed specifically for cancer survivors, we encourage you to learn more about Survivor Fitness and the supportive community we’ve built. Together, we can empower your mind and help you thrive on your journey after diagnosis and treatment. 

Participant Spotlight: Pamela Wilson

Pamela wilson working out on an exercise ball.

Cancer—the word itself evokes a sense of fear and uncertainty. The journey of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery can be long and arduous, filled with physical and emotional challenges. But amidst the hardship, stories of resilience emerge—stories like Pamela Wilson’s. 

Diagnosed with various forms of cancer over a 12-year period, Pamela battled through countless treatments, surgeries, and emotional hurdles. However, her journey is also one of hope and the transformative power of supportive communities.

A Decade of Facing Cancer Head-On

Pamela’s journey began in 2011 when she received a blood cancer diagnosis. While managing her condition with medication and regular monitoring, she continued working as a teacher and leading a relatively normal life. However, a series of unexpected events established a recurring theme over the next few years. 

First, in 2016, a seizure led to the discovery of a benign tumor, requiring surgery but thankfully not impacting her long-term health. In 2022, a routine blood test revealed elevated white blood cell levels. Pamela was referred to Sarah Cannon Center for Blood Cancers in Nashville and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Pamela was considered at high risk for relapse because her blast cell count percentage was so high, so she moved to Nashville to receive daily injections and monitoring for several months. After more than three months of chemotherapy treatment, Pamela’s blast cell count was finally low enough to perform a bone marrow transplant. After her transplant, Pamela was required to stay in Nashville for an additional 100 days. 

“Needless to say, all the chemicals over a 16-month period were really hard on the body,” Pamela said. “When we returned home, my fatigue and exhaustion were beginning to improve, but my entire body ached, and my muscles were greatly atrophied.”

About a month later, Pamela noticed a lump in her right abdomen, which was diagnosed as a strangulated hernia. Of course, this could have been another bump on the road, but it became a life-changing experience for Pamela when her case was assigned to Dr. Aaron Margulies.

At her final post-op appointment with Dr. Margulies, Pamela mentioned that she wanted to start exercising again and hoped to improve her overall well-being. He graciously handed her a Survivor Fitness brochure. 

“Dr. Margulies is one of the kindest doctors I’ve ever met and sensitive to the emotional and physical needs of his patients,” Pamela shared. “Without his fortuitous recommendation, I would never have known about Survivor Fitness.”

Finding Support and Sisterhood at Survivor Fitness

Connecting with Survivor Fitness marked a turning point for Pamela. Paired with trainer Kathleen Bullock, Pamela embarked on a personalized fitness journey. Kathleen was able to ascertain Pamela’s base fitness level and help train her through exercises that Pamela could also practice at home in between sessions. 

“Kathleen was very helpful in understanding my needs, and guiding my efforts,” Pamela said. “She was very understanding of my limitations, yet had the ability to provide motivation and challenges to promote continuous improvement. The friendship and sister in Christ that I found with her was a bonus!”

A Life Renewed: Strength, Gratitude, and Hope

After completing the Survivor Fitness program, Pamela felt confident enough to continue her workouts independently at home. Today, she enjoys brisk walks of over two miles several times each week and incorporates resistance exercises into her routine. Most importantly, she feels like herself again. “It’s been two years since my recovery journey began, and I feel normal again,” Pamela beams.

Pamela’s story is a powerful reminder that even amidst seemingly insurmountable challenges, the human spirit can persevere. Her unwavering faith, the support of her medical team, and the guidance of Survivor Fitness all played crucial roles in her journey to regaining strength and well-being.

“At my recent yearly wellness exam with my PCP, I mentioned to her that I felt very blessed, that I am a walking miracle, saved by miraculous modern medicine, medical experts, and above all else, God’s grace,” Pamela reflects. “I am at a loss for words sometimes, at how much OTHERS are willing to do and have done to help me through this journey.”

Get Connected to the Survivor Fitness Community

Pamela’s story serves as a beacon of hope for other cancer survivors. It’s a testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. We are incredibly grateful to Pamela for sharing her inspiring story and being part of our community. 

If you are a cancer survivor seeking hope and support after treatment or know someone who is, we invite you to learn more about our programs and how we can help you reclaim your strength. Reach out with questions or apply today to take the first step towards a healthier and happier future.

Partner Spotlight – Whitney Biggs

Fear, anxiety, grief, and depression are emotions we all encounter. But for a cancer survivor, these feelings are often amplified by the trauma of diagnosis, treatment, and the uncertainty of life moving forward. These experiences—and the path to navigate them—are ones that Whitney Biggs knows well.

As a licensed mental health counselor, Whitney has walked alongside hundreds of patients. With expertise and compassion, she empowers them to manage overwhelming emotions, draw strength from within, and build a fulfilling life aligned with their values. But her connection to these challenges goes beyond the professional realm. Whitney is also a cancer survivor, and her personal journey offers a unique perspective that fuels her dedication to helping others.

As Survivor Fitness expands its services to include mental health counseling, we’re thrilled to welcome Whitney Biggs as one of our newest board members. Her dual expertise as a therapist and cancer survivor will be invaluable as we guide survivors on the path back to a stronger, healthier life.

A Passion for Empowering Survivors

​​Whitney’s connection to Survivor Fitness began through a fellow survivor and former Survivor Fitness board member, Christie Ekern. Their shared experiences helped them form a bond, and Christie’s positive experience with the programs resonated deeply with Whitney. She was immediately drawn to the organization’s holistic approach, offering support, guidance, and expertise to participants on their journey back to themselves.

“Survivor Fitness is an organization that meets a need no one was really focused on,” Whitney explains. “It’s about finding your way back to vitality, health, and peace after a cancer experience.”

Whitney was deeply moved by our program’s philosophy, the dedication of our team, and the kindness of all the participants, trainers, and partners. It resonated deeply with her own desire to support fellow survivors on their journeys to recovery.

Whitney’s From Fear to Hope 

As a cancer survivor, Whitney understands the emotional toll a diagnosis and treatment can take.

“What many don’t realize,” she says, “is that after the bell has been rung and treatment is completed, everything does not go back to normal. I lived with a fear that could be quite haunting and even, at times, debilitating.”  

Following treatment, Whitney found solace in yoga, movement, meditation, and self-expression. Through this journey, she discovered the power of a post-treatment plan that reconnects body and mind. 

“The best part of having an intentional practice is feeling the energy coursing through your body again, the empowerment and peace it brings. These things worked to center me and gave me an outlet for the fear.” 

Her experience fuels her belief in Survivor Fitness. 

“Survivor Fitness offers a way out of the fear. A way forward in hope.”

A Guiding Light for Other Survivors

At Survivor Fitness, we’re deeply grateful for Whitney’s presence on our board. Her unique perspective as a therapist and survivor will impact countless lives as we integrate mental health counseling as a new program. 

Reflecting on her own journey, Whitney offers this heartfelt encouragement to other survivors.

“Embrace this opportunity to be supported and guided! You are just beginning this part of your life with 20/20 vision of the things that are most important to you.”

We’re truly honored by Whitney’s willingness to share her wisdom and experience with Survivor Fitness. Through her role on the board, she embodies the spirit of paying it forward, offering hope and guidance to others on their path to recovery.

If you’re a cancer survivor looking to take the next step on your journey or know someone who is, we invite you to learn more about our program and the recent addition of mental health counseling.

Together, we can help you reclaim your strength and find your way back to a life of vitality and purpose.