September is Lymphoma awareness month.
It's Blood Cancer Awareness month, so it's also Leukemia and Myeloma Awareness Month, too. But I think most of us are concerned with Lymphoma, so we'll stick with that.
I always struggle with the idea of "awareness" at this time of year. Like most of you, I'm very aware of Lymphoma -- my own, and of the disease in general. But this month isn't really for us. It's about helping others be more aware of it.
Part of that is encouraging others to be aware of their own bodies. That's a big part of cancer detection -- knowing when something is wrong and then getting it checked out. Lymphoma Canada has a "Know Your Nodes" quiz that's very informative. Take it yourself and encourage others to take it, too.
And if you're comfortable, share your story. You can do that with the people you know, or share it on social media, if that's something you take part in. Or you can share it through the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation's website.
I think that's very important. There was a time, not too long ago, when people wouldn't even say the word "cancer." It made cancer seem like a shameful thing. That led to all kinds of problems -- people not going to the doctor even if they suspected something was wrong. Isolation after diagnosis and during treatment -- exactly the time when patients needed others. And then the weird gilt that so many of us feel. Silence isn't good, at least in general. But as I said, share your story if you're comfortable doing so. There's no sense in making yourself feel worse by doing something you don't want to do.
And, of course, continue to educate yourself. Learn all you can about the disease. Not everyone wants to do this, and I understand that, too. I had an oncologist who told me that some patients didn't ever want to hear anything about the disease -- just did everything the doctor said. I get that, too. I had a loved one with cancer (not a blood cancer) who just couldn't stand the idea of doing any kind of research, for lots of reasons. But if you're here reading this, you're probably someone who likes to be informed. So keep that up -- keep finding good sources of information about FL and learning what you can. I'm always happy to share what I know on this blog, and to help people be informed, but remember that I'm not a doctor, and the best source of information is your own oncologist.
Still, there's much that we can teach one another, so I always recommend listening to other patients who can provide good information.
I recommend The FL Community Podcast, which I wrote about last month. Their latest episode is available now. The hosts focus on Managing Treatment Side Effects in this episode, discussing common FL treatments and the typical side effects that come along with each. Nicky, one of the hosts, is a clinical nutritionist, specializing in oncology patients, so she offers some tips on eating well to manage particular side effects. This is a great example of what I mean about awareness -- well-informed patients telling stories and offering advice based on real experience. It's the kind of information that we often forget about when we are planning for future treatments.
I hope everyone has a great month. Do something extra to increase your own awareness, and to share your knowledge with others. And be sure to do something to treat yourself -- a walk in a favorite place, or a meal that makes you happy, or a day off from work -- something that brings you joy. You deserve it.
Stay well.
