| Most of us live our lives without much thought | | | | sensitivity. A person who's feelings and thoughts |
| about a serious accident or illness. Can you | | | | have a very direct impact on the functioning of |
| imagine how stressful and unhealthy it would be | | | | this biological entity. |
| to act differently and worry constantly about | | | | As a doctor, I recognize the wisdom of deploying |
| disease. We take for granted that we will be OK | | | | all of our technological knowhow to fight |
| as long as we don't live too dangerously. | | | | cancerous tumors. However, I believe that we |
| Then, one day, a doctor tells you that you have | | | | really miss the mark when we limit ourselves to |
| cancer. This is bad news. Your first reaction can | | | | focus on a tumor. I do not see a case of cancer, |
| be disbelief, questioning, fear and anger. The | | | | but rather a suffering human being in distress who |
| immediate thought that comes to mind is: will this | | | | is harboring a tumor. This is a completely different |
| cancer kill me and when? Then, in a flash, all the | | | | perspective and, in my opinion, the only one that |
| images we have seen of cancer zip through our | | | | a cancer sufferer deserves. We could say pretty |
| mind: multiple tests and surgeries, long painful | | | | much the same about any serious illness. |
| treatments, loss of control on our life, grief at the | | | | This is where it is crucial for someone diagnosed |
| prospect of dying soon and leaving our loved ones | | | | with cancer to seek immediate help from a |
| after being a burden to them for months. Very | | | | "holistic" source, since the majority of doctors are |
| few challenges in one's life can be as devastating | | | | unprepared to deal with the emotional dimension |
| as this. Simultaneously, our loves ones go through | | | | of their patients. There are many experts capable |
| the same grief and fear. | | | | of assisting the cancer patient with promoting |
| We have improved our ability to detect cancer | | | | hope and confidence and peace of mind. Science |
| earlier with screening tests like mammograms and | | | | has proven that we can significantly improve the |
| PSA. Medicine has made great progress in treating | | | | quality of life of a cancer patient with a |
| most types of tumors. The cancer statistics have | | | | psychologically directed intervention and that the |
| been improving gradually and tremendous | | | | survival itself doubles. The unhealthy feelings of |
| resources are spent every day worldwide in the | | | | depression, worry, fear and hopelessness have |
| search for the cure. Very little however has been | | | | been proven to reduce the number and activity |
| done in taking care of the emotional aspects of | | | | of your natural killer cells, other immune system |
| such a challenge as cancer. | | | | components and healing and protective hormones |
| Modern medicine has slipped into the "mechanical" | | | | and neurotransmitters. These are necessary to |
| concept of the body as an isolated entity. We can | | | | successfully fight a cancer. |
| probe, cut and paste, manipulate and rearrange | | | | Medical treatment is wise, but it is insufficient to |
| this biological "machine" with surgery, radiation and | | | | heal or cure people challenged with cancer. More |
| powerful chemicals. Unfortunately, it is often | | | | humanistic intervention is necessary to improve |
| forgotten that there is a human person living | | | | not only survival but the quality of life of the |
| inside this biological machine, a person with | | | | patient. More information is available at the |
| feelings, thoughts, beliefs, aspirations and | | | | following link. |