No one can be fully prepared for a cancer diagnosis, but some survivors have shared insights they wish they had known before receiving the life-changing news. They discussed dietary and health tips, as well as the importance of regular checks, but there was one common theme: regret over having an ‘it will never happen to me’ mindset.
Jon Imondi, 43, from Worcester, who battled stage three bowel cancer, reflected: “I just wish I didn’t have the ‘it’ll never happen to me’ attitude. Cancer affects one in two and we need to start looking after ourselves more, what we consume and our lifestyles to make sure we’re not another statistic.”
Similarly, Sam Mercer, 51, originally from Essex and now living in Northern Ireland, shared her thoughts after being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. In a conversation with SurreyLive on World Cancer Day, she said: “After an ultra sound and biopsy I was diagnosed with breast cancer, like many others that have gone before me I was absolutely floored. You never think it will be you.”
She also took to Instagram to urge vigilance: “Today is World Cancer Day. I like many others before me was absolutely devastated and shaken to the core. You never think it will happen to you, so please please be vigilant with self checks as early detection saves lives.”
At the young age of 39, Nurse Marissa Antonio was shaken by a liver cancer diagnosis after doctors found a 19cm tumour. At that time, her daughter was merely 19 months old.
Marissa chose to share her experience as a vital reminder for others to pay heed to health warnings and not fall into the trap of thinking ‘it will never happen to me’. Despite recognising four early warning signs, she confessed she was nonetheless “shocked that this could happen to her”, as noted by YaleNewHavenHealth.
She recounted: “My husband and I had been trying to conceive for almost five years, and our daughter was here and I was too sick to take care of her. It was two years before I felt well enough to do so. I am so thankful to my husband and my father for stepping up to care for her when I could not.”
Fortunately, Jon, Sam, and Marissa all managed to pull through their health ordeals. They advocate for taking health concerns earnestly and dispelling any doubts about the possibility of falling ill.
Sharing more wisdom gleaned from her fight against cancer, Sam advised: “How to check yourself properly, it’s not only the breast area but under the arms and around the neck. Another big thing for me, while I was experiencing horrendous fatigue and was having low sickness, on the surface I looked relatively healthy. But when you hear the word cancer you automatically presume that the person would look like they are on death’s door. Cancer doesn’t mean a death sentence – survival rates are increasing.”
Sam also addressed those who, like her in the past, might think cancer won’t affect them, stating: “My mission moving forward after this experience has been to support and encourage people to be vigilant around checking and being aware of what is happening with their body.
“If something doesn’t feel right to you, act immediately, and seek further advice. With regular checking you get to know how your breast and the area looks and what feels normal to you. My cancer had progressed much further, hence the harsh chemo, but detected early and the treatment is much less invasive.”
Sharing similar sentiments, fellow cancer survivor Jon cautioned: “That one’s simple – just get yourself checked out because it really is not worth the risk. I was extremely lucky with my timing. I could’ve been stage four and that’s a whole different story.”
Jon also underscored the importance of prioritising diet, fitness, and mental wellbeing from day one, a lesson he only learned after his diagnosis. The IT engineer reflected: “One thing I’ve learned in my research and reading is that the modern lifestyle is a breeding ground for cancer. So for people who don’t have cancer, get up and walk every day, move around, and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.”