There are real problems, and then there’s everything else. That’s what Taylor Swift said she’s learned from dealing with her mother’s cancer.
In an article for Elle, Swift wrote about some of the most important lessons she has learned so far in her (almost) 30 years of life. One of those lessons was how to deal with the pain and uncertainty of watching someone you love struggle with illness. Like so many other people in the United States, Swift’s mom is currently battling cancer. Both of her parents have actually been through the disease. The singer said this has really put real problems vs. made-up problems into perspective for her.
Read MoreSwift’s 2015 announcement, as well as her latest mention of her mother’s cancer battle, brings attention to an important issue — maintaining health. A lot of people tend to ignore screening guidelines because they’re “too busy” or “too scared,” but speaking to your doctor about when and how often you should be screened for cancer is just another part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For people who have already had cancer, screening for recurrences may be something you have to do for life. Keeping up with recommended screenings could just save your life — many cancers are a lot easier to treat when they are caught early.
Swift’s point to not sweat the small stuff is also solid advice — for people facing cancer themselves, and for their family members. Many survivors have told us that facing the disease really put things into perspective for them as well — and allowed them to live calmer, less tense lives.
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