MY LIFE Matters - Spring 2024 - 39

SIDE EFFECTS Whole Body Empowered
2 ASTHMA
Tameka Johnson, Author, MBC Thriver, Tigerlily
ANGEL Advocate
lung health. Knowledge is power. "
RESOURCES:
* https://www.lung.org/
* https://www.lungevity.org/
4 HOLISTIC HEALTH
Valencia Robinson, Patient Advocate, TNBC Survivor,
Tigerlily Pure Cat Yoga Instructor
and overall sense of self and wellbeing.
Referral to reproductive health
specialists at the time of diagnosis can
augment this conversation and provide
an early roadmap for care.
" I was diagnosed with asthma as a child
and it became a condition we learned to
manage. Living with metastatic breast
cancer that has metastasized to my
lungs further impacts my condition . "
RESOURCES:
* https://aafa.org/
* https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/
* https://www.lung.org/
3 LUNG CANCER
Kelley Jones, Lung Cancer Survivor, NSCLC,
BRCA1+
" One thing my oncologist did do, she
introduced me to yoga. Now, even
though statistically, she didn't think I
was going to make it, she introduced me
to yoga, she did all the complementary
things. And, I just took hold of all of
that, you have to fight, you have to do
all the things, even though you're weak,
even though it may be difficult. Yoga
was so difficult for me, but you have to. "
RESOURCES:
* https://www.annieappleseedproject.org/
* https://smithcenter.org/
* https://uniteforher.org/
* https://purecat.tigerlilyfoundation.org/
5 ONCOFERTILITY
" As a lifelong non-smoker, I was
shocked to receive a lung cancer diagnosis.
Lung cancer is the #1 cancer
killer in women, surpassing both breast
and ovarian cancer combined. This is
due to low awareness and an outdated
stigma associated with lung cancer.
If you experience symptoms such as
a chronic cough, shortness of breath,
bone pain, and chronic respiratory
infections, talk to your doctor about
your lung health and ask, " Could it
be my lungs? " It's quite simple: If you
have lungs, you can get lung cancer.
A low-dose CT could save your life. It
saved mine! Together, let's shatter this
deadly stigma, raise awareness, and
empower everyone to prioritize their
Dr. Leslie Appiah, Professor and Division Chief
of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and
Gynecology, Director, Fertility Preservation and
Reproductive Late Effects Program
" It is important for oncologists to begin
to have conversations with patients
at diagnosis about what to expect in
survivorship from all aspects - recovery
of sexual health, reproductive health,
" I'm glad I'm not defined by the initial
thoughts I had of being an ostomate.
Because, they didn't look brave. Or fun.
Or hilarious. Or pretty unexpectedly
normal... as my life is with this extra
baggage. If you're in the beginning of
accepting your ostomy, please try not
to compare yourself to where someone
else is in their journey. We're all at
different places, on our own timelines,
and our impact in this community
may vary. But, we all share one thing
in common... We had to start somewhere.
This isn't a race to the end. And,
MY LIFE MATTERS
EMPOWERED | SPRING 2024
39
Oncologists should also be prepared to
transition survivors to primary care
providers and reproductive health
specialists who have knowledge about
and are dedicated to these topics, so
our survivors receive the right information
at the right time, in a consistent
and evidence-based manner. Support
groups that are co-facilitated by providers
who have an awareness of these
challenges are also critically important.
Survivors can advocate for involvement
from the clinical teams during support
group sessions through their Cancer
Centers to help address concerns they
have about these very important quality
of life indicators after cancer.
RESOURCES:
* https://www.aspirefertility.com/
* https://oncofertility.msu.edu/
6
COLORECTAL CANCER
Amy Hart, Colorectal Cancer Survivor

https://www.lung.org/ https://www.lungevity.org/ https://aafa.org/ https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/ https://www.lung.org/ https://www.aspirefertility.com/ https://oncofertility.msu.edu/ https://www.annieappleseedproject.org/ https://smithcenter.org/ https://uniteforher.org/ https://purecat.tigerlilyfoundation.org/

MY LIFE Matters - Spring 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MY LIFE Matters - Spring 2024