The Positive Impact of Healthy Relationships on Cancer Survivors
- “Charlies Angels” star Jaclyn Smith, 78, beat breast cancer more than 20 years ago and is now celebrating her wedding anniversary with her husband Dr. Brad Allen. They have been married for 27 years.
- Her milestone event comes two decades after Smith underwent treatment for stage one breast cancer by having a lumpectomy, a surgical procedure where part of the breast is removed and several rounds of radiation.
- Reaching milestones during or after a cancer battle, even many years later, is huge and just hits different for many survivors. Special moments such as getting engaged, a wedding anniversary reaching another birthday, a high school or college reunion, or a “cancerversary” may mean even more to you than those events did previously, so it’s important to take them all in and celebrate all that you’ve overcome.
- After a cancer diagnosis, it’s essential for the couple going through the cancer journey together to communicate and express their feelings. Joining a support group or seeking professional therapy may also be helpful.
Smith, who previously told SurvivorNet that she conquered breast cancer by surrounding herself “with loved ones, support, and girlfriends,” commemorated her wedding anniversary with a heartfelt social media post, featuring photos of her and Allen making a toast at the legendary cocktail bar Bar Hemingway in Paris, France.
Read MoreSmith captioned her sweet post, “My husband Brad is the perfect example of a great partner every day! From a beautiful anniversary gift, to planning another wonderful evening together.View this post on Instagram
“Even after all these years, you continue to make me feel cherished.”
In another Instagram post from earlier this month, Smith explained that she and her husband were on a “very special trip.”
She wrote, “Brad surprised me with a visit to charming medieval village called Borgo San Felice, about 20 minutes from Siena, Italy. It has been so wonderful to relax and enjoy the countryside and the incredible local cuisine including a decadent dinner featuring truffles on our second night. Meeting an owl was another highlight of the evening!
“Also on the agenda was a tour of Ciacci Piccolomini D’Aragona where they make some of the best Brunello in all of Montalcino. Our guide Simona explained how the wine maker’s ties to the royal family are reflected in the crest that serves as their label! I am not a drinker but the family history was fascinating and so many generations have carried on their traditions.”
In a followup post from a few days ago, Smith revealed they later traveled to Prague, admitted she is “stunned” by the country’s beauty.
“We made some friends with the local birds, and visited the third largest astronomical clock in the world (the only that is still working),” she explained. “We also spent a somber moment at the Jewish cemetery there, in which some graves date back to the 15th century. It was a moving part of the trip for certain.”
Smith also showed support for her beloved husband on his birthday this past August, sharing a photo from their wedding day, on Instagram, along with the captioned, “Forever blessed I am that I said I do to my wonderful husband!
“Happy birthday to my guy! We love you.”
View this post on Instagram
Jaclyn Smith’s Cancer Journey
Smith, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 00s, says that her own experience with the disease left her with a profound new outlook on life.
“It’s kind of amazing that it ended up making me take action, do things that I wouldn’t have done, maybe,” the actress told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“I think when you hear [you have cancer], you realize how precious life is. And hey, I’m not just gonna sit back and do nothing. Let me enjoy this moment. And I flew through radiation working, every day.”
View this post on Instagram
While she was receiving and recovering from cancer treatment, Smith was also starring in a TV series, “The District,” making film appearances like a cameo in 2003’s Charlie’s Angels reboot and she even launched her own furniture line.
Because the actress was diagnosed at stage 1, her treatment was a lumpectomy, a surgical procedure where part of the breast is removed and several rounds of radiation.
View this post on Instagram
Support From Loved One’s During Health Challenges
Having a strong community around you, as Jaclyn Smith does, between her husband and her friends, is ideal when challenged by health struggles.
Dealing with cancer or any sort of health battle for that matter can be overwhelming, so having physical and emotional support is crucial. That being said, it’s very important to know your limits on what you can handle as you undergo treatment and recover from your cancer, and that includes relationships.
“Going through [cancer] treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin wrote in a column for SurvivorNet.
“Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much, [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”
Helping Patients Cope with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Dr. Strongin does note, however, that having people by your side during this “arduous chapter” of your life can be hugely beneficial.
“Studies have found consistently that loneliness is a significant risk factor for physical and mental illnesses and the trajectory of recovery,” she wrote. “Therefore, it will be important that you surround yourself with individuals who care and support you throughout your treatment.”
Ovarian cancer survivor Beverly Reeves can also attest to the importance of support and a loving community amid fighting a disease.
‘Faith, Family, and Friends’ Helped Beverly Reeves Get Through Ovarian Cancer Treatment
“If I had one piece of advice for someone who had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it would be to get a strong support group together. Get your close friends. If you’re connected to a faith community, get your faith community,” Reeves told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“Get your family. Let them know what’s going on and let them help you. And sometimes that’s the most difficult thing to do, but just know that they are there,” she continued. “If they love you, they’re there to help you. And don’t be embarrassed.”
“Because this is a cancer that not a lot of people want to talk about,” she said. “But it’s real and we need to talk about it, and we do need that help. So talk to your family and your friends and your faith community, and get that network together so they can support you and be there for you.”
How to Cope When a Spouse Is Diagnosed With Cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, emotions may run the gamut, and grappling with your feelings isn’t easy. While coping with caring for a loved one battling cancer, the spouse must also adjust to a new normal. Feelings ranging from anxiety, sadness, anger, regret, and more may linger. However, healthy ways to cope.
- Talk to a therapist and share feelings you’re going through
- Have an open conversation with your spouse about the diagnosis
- Research the disease and learn about available treatment options
- Join a support group or connect with others who have gone through, or are going through, the same experience
- Spend time with your spouse and have consistent conversations about how you both are feeling
Natalie Wells and Stephen Skip are another couple who shared the impact cancer had on their relationship. Wells was diagnosed with brain cancer. Thankfully, her husband joined her for the emotional rollercoaster after her diagnosis rocked their family.
WATCH: Natalie and Stephen’s relationship was tested amid cancer.
“These little trials and tribulations life throws at you give you a good perspective on appreciating the things you have and not wanting the tangible, physical, petty things that people worry about and stress over,” Skip told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“[She’s] my best friend, my right hand. I couldn’t go on through life without [her]. I love her tremendously.”
Reaching Milestones as a Cancer Survivor
Reaching milestones during or after a cancer battle, even many years later, is huge and just hits different for many survivors.
Special moments such as getting engaged, celebrating a wedding anniversary, reaching another birthday, a high school or college reunion, or a “cancerversary” may mean even more to you than those events did previously, so it’s important to take them all in and celebrate all that you’ve overcome.
Chrissy Degennaro is also a cancer warrior determined to keep enjoying these precious milestones. She has been battling a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma for 14 years, and was first diagnosed when she was just 36 years old with a 2-year-old son.
I’m Able to Be Here For More Milestones — One Cancer Survivor’s Incredible Story
When she was given her diagnosis, she almost expected to not be able to see him enter kindergarten. But thanks to 27 rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, a CAR-T cell trial and two CAR-T cell transplants over following 14 years, she’s able to keep making memories with her family.
“You know, I do live one day at a time,” Chrissy previously told SurvivorNet. “Now, maybe I can go a week, a month, but things are looking pretty good. I’m able to be here for more milestones for my son, for more holidays, more birthdays. I do feel like I have had another chance at life.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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