Your body

As you probably know better than anyone, the surgery and treatment used to fight brain and spinal cord tumors can cause many changes in your body. Moreover, these changes often affect multiple areas of functioning, including mental, emotional, spiritual, psychological and physical health. (Read some comments from survivors about their physical image and health.) Our bodies are amazingly resilient and adaptive despite the trauma often caused by craniotomies, other surgeries and treatment protocols.

Sometimes, though, our bodies have a harder time "bouncing back" if we have undergone multiple surgeries, completed many rounds of chemotherapy or radiation or if diagnosis and treatment began at an early age. In any case, there are a variety of things we can do to help our bodies heal and recover what has been lost by treatment. As a matter of fact, even when damage to our physical health is such that some or all of it can not be recovered, healing your body in other areas can help reduce stress and anxiety and can ease emotional challenges such as anger or depression. Ultimately, this can positively impact your relationships with others and your ability to maintain hope in the face of adversity. Read a list of ideas...

Here are some related topics from the Lance Armstrong website:

• Body Image
• Healthy Behaviors
• Physical Rehabilitation

News from the American Society of Clinical Oncology:

• Childhood Cancer Survivors May Not Receive Recommended Cancer Screenings
• Childhood Cancer Survivors Have Low, but Increased Risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder