I was recently interviewed by a lovely young woman named Audrey. She has a beautiful blog about different forms of self care, personal growth, and healing. Through our shared interest in self care and sharing, we connected instantly.

When she shared with me a bit of why she wanted to have a perspective from a cancer thriver, I connected with her even more.

Her mum has cancer, and she wanted to be able to learn as much as she could to support her the best way possible. Her mission to learn and share was something I resonated with greatly, and so I offered any advice I could based on my years of living through almost every stage of this disease.

Audrey didn’t realize it at the time, but just by asking how to support her loved one…. She had already done the most important step!

The interview touches on a bit of my story and history, and leads into ways I recommend supporting a loved one with an illness. I will link the full interview here

Another amazing thriver was also interviewed, two different stories, but we all share one thing in common. Cancer doesn’t care if you’re healthy, it doesn’t care about your age, if you eat well, or train 7 days a week. It happens at random, it isn’t something we can control.

Sometimes the best we can do is just navigate this life the best we can, and offer advice for others how they can support their loved ones.

Some of my favourite quotes from the interview:

“I made a promise that day that this disease will never take my ‘fabulous’ which to me is who you are. It’s your smile, your light, your laugh, beauty, sarcasm, humour, all of the little things that make us who we are”

“Positively, this disease in my opinion brought me my husband. We began dating during my first diagnosis at 19, and it showed me what unconditional love looks like. Negatively, I’ve never experienced anything ‘normal’ as a young adult should”

“As far as practicality goes, try and think of all the things that you take care of in a day. Then think of how that might be difficult for someone fighting cancer. Brainstorm what you think could be helpful, it doesn’t have to be a big thing. It can be such a small gesture but to us it can change our entire mindset. Even offering to walk someone’s dogs is huge”

“I like to break it down in a way where I consider emotional support, physical support, and financial. Ask yourself how you can help a friend or loved one in those categories”

“My best advice is to know that, understand that, and learn how to support them in the different stages of the disease. Even the ‘after’, take the time to know how you can support them emotionally and not just act like it’s behind them. That’s often more damaging and hurtful than anything else”

“Everyone is different, and we all have different ways we like to be supported. Some don’t want to be consider a ‘fighter’, you’ll notice I used the term thriver throughout this entire interview. That’s because I don’t want to be fighting with something the rest of my life”

“Empower them with information, help be their advocate, and most of all… remember who they ARE! Help them not let cancer take away their ‘fabulous’”

Pheo VS Fabulous