Body Image

08/05/21 • 77 min

Let's talk about how body image changes through cancer. And, not only how that affects you physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Body image is a big concept, and a complicated one at that, as it applies to so many different things; the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions one has about their body, but it also relates to your body functioning. While it’s not what people immediately think about when we think about cancer, it’s the most universal thing that cancer patients experience at some point.

Resources:

Cancer & Body Image:

https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer/managing-emotions/self-image-and-cancer

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/changes-to-your-appearance-and-body-image

https://elephantsandtea.com/sexuality/rethinking-body-image-remember-to-love-yourself-2/

Sephora Stands - Classes for Confidence: https://www.sephorastands.com/classes_for_confidence/

Allison Rosen’s Story: Me, Myself and Fill:

https://www.ostomy.org/allison-rosens-story-me-myself-and-fill/

https://www.ccalliance.org/blog/prevention/allison-rosen-always-an-advocate

Adventure Programs for cancer patients:

https://www.senditfoundation.org

https://www.projectkoru.org

https://www.epicexperience.org

https://firstdescents.org

Danae Mercer & Body Positivity:

https://www.instagram.com/danaemercer/

This episode of The Cancer Patient podcast was made possible by Send It Foundation. Send It provides free outdoor adventures such as skiing, surfing, mtn biking, and backpacking for young adult cancer survivors. The mission of the Send It Foundation is to inspire positivity, courage, and gratitude in young adult cancer survivors by creating a vital community through shared experience.

The Cancer Patient Podcast is produced by Layla Moheimani and engineered by Layla Moheimani and Isaiah Ashburn. Our executive producers are Katie Schou and Caroline Schou. Theme music written and performed by Heritage Park.

To keep up with The Cancer Patient podcast and additional content, follow us on Instagram @thecancerpatient and on Twitter @ogcancerpatient

Resources:

Cancer & Body Image:

https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer/managing-emotions/self-image-and-cancer

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/changes-to-your-appearance-and-body-image

https://elephantsandtea.com/sexuality/rethinking-body-image-remember-to-love-yourself-2/

Sephora Stands - Classes for Confidence: https://www.sephorastands.com/classes_for_confidence/

Allison Rosen’s Story: Me, Myself and Fill:

https://www.ostomy.org/allison-rosens-story-me-myself-and-fill/

https://www.ccalliance.org/blog/prevention/allison-rosen-always-an-advocate

Adventure Programs for cancer patients:

https://www.senditfoundation.org

https://www.projectkoru.org

https://www.epicexperience.org

https://firstdescents.org

Danae Mercer & Body Positivity:

https://www.instagram.com/danaemercer/

To keep up with The Cancer Patient podcast and additional content, follow us on Instagram @thecancerpatient and on Twitter @ogcancerpatient

Previous Episode

Survivorship (Part 1)

Survivorship is not about finding yourself again, but getting to know the new you. The completion of treatment is something to celebrate. However, there is also an erroneous belief that when treatment is over, cancer is over and everything goes back to normal. More often, it is when medical treatment ends when the reality of cancer sets in and the emotional healing begins. In this episode, we begin a series of episodes digging into the complex puzzle of survivorship. Why is it that the cancer journey isn’t over when treatment is finished? The cancer fam responds to share their experiences and perspectives.

Resources:

Survivorship Clinics:

https://www.cancer.org/health-care-professionals/national-cancer-survivorship-resource-center.html

https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/life-after-cancer.html

Adventure Programs for cancer patients:

https://www.senditfoundation.org

https://www.projectkoru.org

https://www.epicexperience.org

https://firstdescents.org

Defining “Survivorship”: https://canceradvocacy.org/defining-cancer-survivorship/

Cancer Caregivers: https://amp.cancer.org/treatment/caregivers.html

To keep up with The Cancer Patient podcast and additional content, follow us on Instagram @thecancerpatient and on Twitter @ogcancerpatient

Next Episode

Survivorship (Part 2)

We’re back with Part-2 of our Survivorship series, continuing the complex conversation about why cancer isn’t over when treatment ends. When we’re in survivor mode, we don’t think about what happens next after treatment ends. “It’s over for other people. It’s not over for us.”

The cancer fam responds to share their experiences and perspectives around the process of survivorship, mental health and managing expectations after treatment, the importance of cancer friends, and dealing with uncertainty.

Resources:

Survivorship Clinics:

https://www.cancer.org/health-care-professionals/national-cancer-survivorship-resource-center.html

https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/life-after-cancer.html

Defining “Survivorship”: https://canceradvocacy.org/defining-cancer-survivorship/

Making Memories Last: The Art of Legacy Work: https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/making-memories-last-the-art-of-legacy-work.h00-158673423.html

SENDtember with the Send It Foundation
SENDtember

Rising Strong by Brene Brown

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23317538-rising-strong

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25899336-when-breath-becomes-air

To keep up with The Cancer Patient podcast and additional content, follow us on Instagram @thecancerpatient and on Twitter @ogcancerpatient