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By Diane Brandon, MA, Cancer Resource Specialist and Breast Cancer Survivor
"I didn’t think I was supposed to get breast cancer.
I ate right, I drank green tea, and I exercised. I had regular mammograms, did Yoga daily, and I belonged to a women's group. But I still got breast cancer, and I’ll admit it . . . I was really angry that I had behaved so well and still ended up with cancer.
One of the things I learned was that while my healthy life-style didn’t keep me from having cancer, it would support me in my journey through treatment and in building a new life after treatment was completed. And now, after years of working here, and seeing hundreds of newly diagnosed cancer patients, I also realize that the myriad of risk factors involved in any diagnosis make it impossible to clearly assign blame or cause. The one thing that is certain is that this is the time to call in the entire healing community to support the journey through treatment.
After my diagnosis, it took me some time to come to grips with my illness. I underwent a lot of treatment, and with the approval and guidance of my doctors at Marin Cancer Institute, I tapped into the world of integrated, holistic care. I was involved with a support group, and I was treated with acupuncture and Jin Shin Jyutsu, a form of acupressure. I continued swimming and doing yoga, and started working with Guided Imagery. More than anything else, I was forced into growth, because I had to learn about being connected with people when I was neither in charge nor perfect. It was a new way of being with people, and it led to genuine connections that have forever changed the way I live my life.
The kindness and authenticity of the people who work in the field of cancer care amazed me, and so did the number of resources available in this community. After treatment was over, I decided that I wanted to be part of that healing community, and in particular, I wanted to connect those in treatment with the people and the resources that would support them in their journey. I have learned a great deal about what is available, and working in the Resource and Recovery Library is a wonderful way to give back to the community that has been so good to me."
Read about Diane's role as a Cancer Resource Specialist at the Cancer Resource & Recovery Center, at the Marin Cancer Institute.
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Diane Brandon, MA, is Cancer Resource Specialist at the Marin Cancer Institute.
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