Live, Love, and Laugh

Brisbane based GenesisCare radiation oncologist Dr David Schlect and his friend and co-author radiation therapist Damian Mason wrote their book, ‘Hope – A Cancer Doctor’s Life Secrets’, as a way of sharing their own extensive professional and personal experience in the field of cancer care, providing tips for getting through demanding treatment and most importantly on the emphasis of hope to successfully navigate a cancer journey.

As they share in their book, “The secret is: it’s not our secret, it’s our patients’ secret. Quite simply, the secret to how patients successfully cope with the cancer journey is that they choose to live, love, and laugh.”

A cancer diagnosis can be one of the toughest moments in a person’s life. The sense of shock and absolute misunderstanding are natural, and yet, that choice to live, to think, ‘I’ll get through this’, is one every patient has, and as is shared in the book, “This capacity for dealing with the diagnosis is within every patient and the patient must make the choice to access this untapped resource and get up and go on with life and living”.

Innovation in medicine and technology involved in treating cancer are constantly evolving. Until that moment when a cancer diagnosis is given, none of us know truly how we would react. Dr Schlect and Mason, from their experience share (in the book) that the power of optimism, courage, and hope, are without doubt integral to supporting a patient in their journey towards a positive outcome.

The love of family and friends is vital for those living with the daily challenges that cancer brings, and provide unforgettable moments of joy, positivity, and strength for a cancer patient; thereby bringing hope. Support comes in many forms, giving comfort and can ease mental anxieties that a person has likely never experienced in their life. Caregivers and loved ones may offer help such as joining specialist medical appointments, looking after children, heading to the supermarket weekly to buy groceries or being the key point of contact sharing regular updates.

To hear more about hope and the power of a positive mental attitude, hear from Dr Schlect in the video below, as he discusses more about the book and the reasons why he and Damian Mason wanted to share their experiences to help people facing a cancer diagnosis.