Saying Goodbye to the Year with Reflection and Healing

With the year nearing its close, the usual natural break that comes with it is already taking place. The tenor of the days is more tranquil, the nights are a bit longer and virtually everyone is in the contemplating mood—some are thankful, others are worn out, and the majority do not even know what they are feeling. The same holds true for those whose paths have been crossed by cancer.

CancerGuru.com firmly believes that a year is not simply a collection of months but one full of life. An entire cycle is made up of setting up meetings, altering visit hours, screening for results of blood tests, administering the right therapies, asking questions, managing the fear, and letting the little victories out in a very discreet manner. As the year draws to a close, we would like to remember the whole process of going through, no matter where you are on it, and to welcome the time ahead with hopeful, caring, and resolute attitudes.

Reflective Practice Without Judgment

When one talks of reflection it does not necessarily mean that one must go through all the hard moments again and weigh themselves against what they think they "should" have done. Sometimes, reflection just means recognizing that we survived.

A year filled with unexpected has gone by for all the people involved: patients, caregivers, family, and the medical staff. A diagnosis that changed everything completely. A treatment plan that needed bravery even for the first step. A delay that tested one's patience and may have come with a new side of one's character. Or a case of remission that brought both relief and lingering doubt.

There is no wrong feeling to have when looking back at the past. Pride and grief can be experienced together. The strong can be weak at the same time. At CancerGuru, we think reflection should be soft, not a hard one. It is all about spotting where the growth was, which is mostly silent, and acknowledging the fact that survival, no matter the form it takes, is important.

For a lot of people, reflection offers the light of understanding. It helps us to remember what is most important: getting the information quickly, receiving the care that is full of compassion and trust, having the guidance that is gated, and the feeling that you are not alone on the cancer journey.

Healing Is Not Linear

Healing is generally pictured as a linear progression, but for everyone who has experienced oncological treatment, the situation is different. The healing process can involve the physical, psychological, or mental aspects, or all three simultaneously—and it is hardly ever predictable.

Some days, healing appears to be the return of strength. Other days, it could mean guilt-free resting. It could also be seeking assistance, mastering the side effects, or summoning the bravery to ask for a second opinion. It could even include admitting that healing is also about mourning—for the time lost, the plans changed, or the feeling of normalcy that seems so distant.

CancerGuru being a patient-oriented platform, is there to help in all aspects of healing. The collaboration of doctors, medical institutions, researchers, and pharmaceutical innovators is the way we reduce the gap between diagnosis and treatment, and between questions and answers. We hold that the provision of accurate and up-to-date medical information is itself a healing process—because understanding gives power to the patients and they can then be more involved with their treatment.

Healing for the members of the medical community might mean being constantly updated on the changes in cancer research and treatment. Moreover, it could also mean the long and tiring process of acquiring new knowledge, making the necessary adaptations and, even thus, being able to still offer patients the same warmth and excellence in their care as before the emotional toll of the work on them.

The Power of Connection

The very first and the most important lesson this year might have been the necessity of connecting with other people. Cancer is a condition that can make isolation very heavy, particularly when the information about the disease is either scattered or too much to handle.

CancerGuru was founded on a very simple but at the same time very powerful aim: to unite people. Everyone from patients and doctors to researchers and industry stakeholders has a part to play in turning cancer around. Care becomes not just more effective but also more humane when there is free flow of knowledge and collaboration is welcomed.

This year we have experienced how the digital world can connect people in situations that would have seemed impossible before. Expert opinions reaching patients irrespective of the borders and medical practitioners having the latest diagnostic tools and treatment options easily accessible are the examples showing how connection has been a life saver.

The journey of cancer is not supposed to be a lonely one and that truth is once more reaffirmed by our reflections. A community—be it a waiting room at the doctor's, an online support group, or another's story—can heal, educate and even be a source of enhancement.

Gratitude for Every Step Taken

Before wrapping up this year, let us celebrate the courage to simply continue going. In any situation: whether you just got diagnosed, are undergoing treatments, are the caregiver, or are the support for the one who is going through it, your contribution will be counted.

The doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers who give their all to bring about better cures and less pain for patients have our sincere gratitude. Then there are the researchers working silently in the labs taking small and big steps sideways towards new discoveries. Finally, the patients—the main heroes of this story—who with their strong presence remind us every day that our work is necessary.

All the things you have been through, the questions you have asked, and the trust you have given are the basis of what CancerGuru is trying to be: a very accessible and kind resource that is built around actual human needs.

Moving Into the New Year Together

A new year does not wipe out the difficulties of the previous one, but it presents a fresh opportunity to be deliberate and nonchalant in advancing. It encourages us to take along the insights gained while remaining open to change and different spirits.

In the year to come, CancerGuru is still going to work hard towards realizing our goal of using digital technology to give support and relief to cancer patients all over the world. We will not only keep on attempting to make it easier for the patients to get expert diagnosis and treatment but also to promote awareness and create collaborations among the different players in the cancer care ecosystem. It’s about more than just medicine—it is about integrity, empathy, and optimism.

Thus, when you calmly wave this year goodbye, we wish you to do that with compassion towards yourself. Validate your pain. Acknowledge your progress. And, at your own tempo, allow yourself to get excited—-about the future.

Thank you for accompanying us on this journey from all of us at CancerGuru.com. We can’t wait to enter the new year together, educated, linked, and encouraged.

Image Credit: EyeEm at FreePik