Life after cancer

Your treatment is over. You feel glad, excited and anxious all at the same time about life after cancer.

I’m a survivor

You may feel like a “survivor” or have heard the term used in conversation. But what does it mean? It means different things to different people. You may not like the way the word is used, or you might feel that it doesn’t apply to you. But the word “survivor” helps many people. It can be powerful, and for some, it’s a positive way of looking at themselves. Using it helps them to cope with their life after cancer.

The end of treatment

During treatment, it might have been hard to imagine that it would come to an end. You and your family were probably living day-to-day.

You may not have spent much time thinking beyond treatment. Now you wonder if you’ll be able to pick up where you left off before your diagnosis. It’s time to get back to normal and feel good about the future. But what’s “normal” after cancer treatment?

The new normal

Just as everyone’s cancer experience is unique, adjusting to life after treatment will be unique as well.

For some people, depending on whether they feel their cancer experience has changed them, “normal” may mean going back to exactly how their life used to be. For them, the best thing about treatment ending will be getting back to their regular routine and ways of doing things.

For others, it’s not that simple. You may no longer feel sick, but you might not be feeling that great either.

Different physical or practical issues (such as new health routines or financial concerns) could now be a part of your life. Your values and priorities might have changed. Material things may be less important to you than spending time with family and friends or enjoying favourite pastimes.

You may find that you’re somewhere in-between. In some areas of life, your new “normal” is very different, and in other areas, things go back to exactly what they used to be. One way isn’t better than the other – the most important thing is figuring out what works for you.

Last modified on: 01 November 2011