One of the hardest parts of cancer can be getting good news.
That sounds counterintuitive.
How can getting good news be anything other than a good thing?
Well, getting it is wonderful but it can be hard from the point of view of sharing it.
Every cancer patient knows the peaks and troughs. We all know someone that is going through hell so when you get some positive news of your own it can make you feel awkward and guilty.
I’ve been on both sides of the fence.
I’ve been in plenty of rough patches where things have looked pretty bleak only to scroll through social media and find others broadcasting how well they are doing. Of course when you see that, you desperately want the same for yourself too but it might just feel unrealistic or unobtainable.
I get it, it can sting. It can make you feel jealous, even angry because it’s not you. You want to be the one posting a picture of yourself with a beaming smile.
My recent CT scan has come back and tells me that my treatment is still working.
And now, I’m celebrating some good news myself, some stability and some hope. I want to tell people and so I do just that on social media platforms but there’s a big part of me saying ‘just keep it to yourself’ because I don’t want to look like I’m being insensitive or showboating. I’m definitely not. I can empathise and I know what it feels like to be getting bad news.
There is the bit in between these two extremes and that is where we look at the good news of others as a motivation to get better too. It can inspire us to keep going and to know that if we do, our time to enjoy some good news might come our way as well.
I think that’s where most of us want to be: encouraged, stirred and energised. We want to feel that we too have that chance to post a positive message of hope.
I’ve been there. I’ve seen the positivity pumped out by others and it has spurred me on to be one of them, to beat the odds and to get to that point. Good news is uplifting and it can instil cancer confidence!
So, when we get some good news about a scan or a treatment working then we should broadcast it but with good grace and a cautious optimism always sparing a thought for those that are in the thick of things.
We still have to think carefully how and where we celebrate our little wins. It might be that pressing pause is the actually the right thing to do depending on the audience we are connecting with.
I have in the past kept very quiet about any good news that I’ve been lucky enough to receive because I also know that it can be short-lived. This is what cancer does, it tempers celebrations and rains on your parade.
But if we have good news, we should be allowed to share it and enjoy it for as long as it lasts. Stories of cancer survival are vital. Forgive me for celebrating today but it makes me feel good and I hope it makes you feel hopeful too. I wish everyone well.