Myth #11

I need to do something spectacular with my life after cancer…

A cancer diagnosis is a life-altering event. It can profoundly change the way we think about life and the things that are important to us. For some cancer survivors this life-altering event leads them down a new path where they create incredible support organizations and raise lots of money for cancer (the most obvious example is Lance Armstrong and the LIVESTRONG Foundation). However, because of the number of high profile “Cancer Hero’s” in popular culture, many cancer survivors feel like they also have to do something incredible with their life after cancer. In this video, Mike Lang, the CancerBridges Survivor Network Coordinator, talks about his own cancer experience and shares some insights on what it means to be a hero.

We should not pressure ourselves or let others pressure us into becoming a “Cancer Hero”. Often the best thing we can do after cancer is just live the best life possible because doing that encourages others to do the same. Living a good life can mean many different things to different people and it is also okay to lead a modest “small” life as long as it’s authentic and makes you happy. Simply loving the people around you and investing in their lives is how you become a true hero, an everyday hero. You can have a profound impact on people’s lives one at a time.

To learn more about Survive & Thrive Expeditions that Mike talked about in the video, click here: www.survivethrive.org