My job is to encourage openness about mental health and yet I have been keeping quiet about my recent cancer diagnosis. Why? What’s the difference? I have spent a few weeks mulling this over. I used to think it was much easier to open up about physical health than it was mental health. Perhaps with some physical illness, this is the case but when it comes to cancer, it is different. It now makes sense to me to be open about my cancer diagnosis for many reasons. Whilst it has been a scary time, I am able to remain positive. My friends always say “How are you so positive?”. The question of “Why do some people seem able to maintain a positive outlook” is the same question as “Why do some people cope better with stress?” or “Why do some people seem more resilient?”. It is a complex mix of genetics, life experiences, physical health, emotional literacy, education, relationships and so it goes on. Before I go on and for the record, I am a humble person and blowing my own trumpet never sits well with me! However, I do (mostly) practice what I preach and that is a good thing, right? Would you want your workplace wellbeing trainer to be following all the advice she gives you? Yes, of course you would. However, you might also want a facilitator/trainer that had some experience of their subject. My peers that work in the workplace wellbeing space range from those that have experienced burnout or a mental health diagnosis, through to those that are qualified psychologists and even mental health nurses. I have often pondered whether it was OK to do what I do, without having experience of any of any of that! My “lived experience” was through my son’s anxiety diagnosis. So whilst I couldn’t share my personal experience of burnout or alcoholism, what I could share was my ability to remain in good mental health, as well as support someone with their mental health diagnosis. My recent cancer diagnosis, has now given me a deeper insight into how physical illness can hit mental health. “Your body speaks your mind” is a phrase I probably use on every course I run. Now, I realise that it also works the other way “Your mind speaks your body”.
I will write more about this if there is the appetite and if it helps people. I have thoughts on how employers could support someone in my position, on how my health insurances have helped or hindered & what others can do to understand someone’s average cancer journey. My message for today is that we must never underestimate the impact of bad health news on the mind. And whilst we are told to take time to recover from surgery and chemotherapy and other cancer related treatment, we must also take time to consider our mental health. This is something I have worked at and I am feeling great. Charities like Penny Brohn Cancer Trust near me in Bristol, promote this message. We should always work hard to prioritise our mental health but even harder if we also have a physical illness. My advice:-
⭐ take all the help you can get from professionals, friends, family & work
⭐ seek support wherever you can get it
⭐ don’t underestimate the impact on your overall health
⭐ check if any insurances you have could help
⭐ don’t google it
Note:- I was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma which is a very rare cancer that is hard to detect. Mine was detected after a hysterectomy due to a growing fibroid which I was told 99%+ are benign. It was only after it was removed with my uterus that the tumour was detected. Luckily it didn’t spread to my lungs (different cancers have different spreading patterns but this likes to go there next) but I am now “in the scan system”!