Happy Lungs board member Ilana Stromberg penned this letter to anyone newly diagnosed with RET-positive lung cancer to share the resources that were helpful during her own cancer journey. Note: The Happy Lungs Project does not endorse and receives no support, financial or otherwise, from these products or services.
Hi Friend –
I am sorry you are faced with this diagnosis! I know first-hand, it stinks! But, I hope the following information brings a little hope or help to you.
First off, remember that your journey is yours alone, so try not to take on anyone else’s story. I try really to avoid and ignore statistics. When I was diagnosed, my youngest daughter was only seven years old, and I was told I had a 25% chance of being alive in five years…and here I am today, very alive and very healthy and it’s been over five years! Miracles happen!
Every cancer case is different based on many known and unknown factors about your physical and mental make-up. People surprise the doctors all the time! Today, you are alive, and once you wrap your head around all of this, you will fight it and hopefully even find some “good” in ways you probably can’t even imagine right now. I definitely appreciate the moments, the people, and the experiences in my life in a way that I never did before. Of course, I also struggle at times with feeling sad, angry, alone and reactive, so give yourself grace. This is hard!
But there is hope, and there are things you can do to help yourself. Below is a list of things that have given me hope, and some sense of control, as I’ve navigated my own cancer journey. I hope they do the same for you.
Also, always check with your insurance; they sometimes surprise me by covering wigs and some integrative treatments (sometimes with a prescription that you can ask for from your oncologist). Also, if you are going to a cancer center, check to see if they have an integrative care center that offers many of the support services below.
Feel free to contact me at info@happylungsproject.org. I’m happy to help.
With love and light,
Ilana
Books
Medical
Cell Free DNA Testing/Liquid Biopsy
Natera, 855.653.0962
Info on Liquid biopsy vs. Signatera ctDNA cancer monitoring test
Practitioners
Integrative Medicine, MDAnderson
Clean Products
Clean products that really work!
Do Cancer Wellness Kits – they also provide funding for integrative care – well worth checking out!
Think Dirty – rates products and ingredients (healthy to unhealthy) in beauty, personal care and cleaning products
Environmental Working Group – research and analysis to help you make healthy purchasing decisions
Beauty Counter – clean skincare and beauty products
100% Pure – natural and organic beauty products
Rocky Mountain Soap Company – 100% handmade and natural soap and body products
Hair Story – clean hair products
Red Juice Cleaner – eco-friendly, non-toxic all purpose cleaner
Dropps – clean laundry and dishwasher products
Hive Brands – clean and sustainable personal, household and grocery products
Life’s Abundance – Healthy beauty, body and cleaning supplies for humans, as well as food and care products for dogs and cats
I think about my kids and my husband a lot when I say this. Just trying to trust the universe that no matter what happens, all shall be well.
Mantras
Here are some mantras I say over and over again when I wake up at night and can’t sleep, or in a scan.
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I am happy, I am healthy. I am safe.
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Cancer cannot live or grow in my brain or my body.
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I say the above over and over again while imaging a light going all through my brain and body – and as if healing or scanning my whole body.
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I am living with cancer, not dying of cancer.
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Loving Kindness Meditation – Here’s an article about it.
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May sound a bit hokey but feels good to me to. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and imagine the person / people you are thinking about.
Focus on yourself:
May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be peaceful and at ease.
Think of someone you care deeply for, imagine them, and say:
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be peaceful and at ease.
Think of a neutral person you see around regularly, and say:
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be peaceful and at ease.
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Think about someone you are having a difficult time with, and say:
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be peaceful and at ease.
Imagine your family sitting in a circle (or another community of your choosing), and say:
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be peaceful and at ease.
