Caring for a Loved One with Cancer
- With the 2024 US Open in full swing, talk of retired tennis legend Pete Sampras, 53, has been circling online, but Sampras continues living life under the radar after announcing in October that his wife, Mortal Kombat star Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, 50, is battling ovarian cancer.
- Filling a caregiver role can be extremely stressful and caregivers often neglect their own needs, which can create a host of additional problems. Experts stress that you will be a better caregiver if you also prioritize caring for yourself.
- If you feel you are having trouble coping with a cancer diagnosis, your own or that of a loved one, a medical professional can help suggest support groups and healthy coping techniques to implement into your daily life to keep your body and mind strong during this difficult time.
Media company FirstSportz Tennis noted that for the first time since Sampras and Andre Agassi’s match up in 2002, two top-20 players from USA, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, faced off in a men’s singles Grand Slam Match.
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Sharing Bridgette Wilson-Sampras’ Diagnosis
“As most have come to know, I am a pretty quiet and private person. However, this past year has been an exceptionally challenging time for my family and I have decided to share what’s been going on,” Sampras said.
“Last December, my wife, Bridgette, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Since then, she has had major surgery, pushed through chemotherapy and continues with targeted maintenance therapy.”
A message from Pete ? pic.twitter.com/ZReXGOCUQs
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 29, 2023
Sampras, who shares two sons with his wife of 24 years, also know for her role opposite Adam Sandler in Billy Madison (1995) added, “It is hard to watch someone you love go through a challenge like this. However, seeing our boys step up and be such strong supporters of Bridgette, myself and each other has been amazing.”
He continued, “Watching Bridgette continue to be an incredible mom and wife through it all has been inspiring … I have also learned that it is very hard to reach for support when something is simply too hard to talk about.”
Seeking Support: The First 3 Things to Do After a Cancer Diagnosis
It’s normal to feel a slew of different emotions — from fear to anger to uncertainty — after learning that you have cancer. In addition to making a treatment plan with your doctors, it’s important to make sure you have the mental health support you need as well. This is a challenging time, and many people find they need a little extra support to get through it.
“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet. “But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional.”
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Dr. Plutchik suggests trying to find a mental health professional who has experience helping people as they navigate cancer treatment and keeping your care team connected, so they can stay focused on a common goal.
“Make sure that the mental health professional that you work it is reaching out, with your consent, to the rest of your team, to the oncologist, to the surgeon … it can also be helpful to reach out to family, friends, and any other caretakers that may be involved in the person’s treatment.”
This kind of connected care ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to getting a patient the best possible support.
How Cancer Caregivers Can Find Time to Care for Themselves
When you suddenly find yourself acting as a cancer caregiver, the lifestyle adjustment can be jarring. Many people welcome the role of cancer caregiver and the opportunity to help out someone they care about deeply but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Filling a caregiver role can be extremely stressful and caregivers often neglect their own needs, which can create a host of additional problems. Experts stress that you will be a better caregiver if you also prioritize caring for yourself. Taking care of your health whether that be with diet, exercise, or making time for activities you enjoy is still crucial.
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Caregivers Can’t Provide Optimal Care for Their Loved Ones If They Don’t Care for Themselves
“It is important to have some things that you can do that’s kind of outside of the focus of caring for somebody that you love with cancer,” Julie Bulger, manager of patient and family-centered care at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, told SurvivorNet.
Bulger suggested caregivers find some activities that help them relax like taking a walk or going for a massage.
RELATED: Check Out SurvivorNet’s Resources on Mental Health
“There’s a lot of opportunities for support virtually through educational resources, support communities,” she added. “You can talk to somebody. You can get therapy virtually now.”
When a stressful life event occurs like a loved one being diagnosed with cancer people respond in a variety of ways.
“The way people respond is very variable,” Dr. Plutchik added. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”
When struggling with a significant life adjustment like cancer affecting your family, there are many different and healthy ways to cope. For some people, this may mean seeking out traditional therapy, but it’s not the only option. A medical professional can help suggest support groups and healthy coping techniques to implement into your daily life to keep your body and mind strong during this difficult time.
Learning About Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer has been called the “cancer that whispers” because women often don’t experience symptoms until their cancer has already reached its late stages. The symptoms that do appear at first are hard to identify as cancer.
“Ovarian cancer does not have any specific symptoms,” Dr. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, told SurvivorNet.
Many ovarian cancers begin in the fallopian tubes. A few cancerous cells first grow on the fallopian tubes. Then, as the fallopian tubes brush over the ovary, these cells stick to the ovaries and eventually form a tumor.
“The symptoms include things like feeling full earlier than you usually would when your appetite is strong and feeling bloated, some changes in your bowel habits, and some pain in the pelvis. These are symptoms women may have every month. These are not very specific, but we’ve found this constellation of symptoms from multiple studies,” Dr. Karlan added.
According to SurvivorNet team of medical experts, the symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:
- A feeling of bloating or fullness
- Pain in the pelvis or abdomen
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Changes in bowel habits
- Bleeding from the vagina (especially after menopause)
- Unusual discharge from the vagina
- Pain or pressure in the pelvis
- Belly or back pain
- Feeling full too quickly, or having difficulty eating
- A change in urinary or bowel habits, such as a more frequent or urgent need to urinate and/or constipation
- Extreme fatigue
- Pain during sex
“We don’t have a good screening method, but if you have symptoms, it’s very important that you go to your physician because there might be an opportunity that we can detect it when it’s still early stage,” Dr. Jose Alejandro Rauh-Hain, a gynecologic oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
“It’s very important that patients are not afraid to ask questions to their physicians. Because the sooner we can diagnose the cancer, the better that prognosis.”
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Where can I seek additional support if I am having trouble coping with a cancer diagnosis?
- Are there any support groups in the area for people like me?
- Can you recommend a mental health professional for my situation?
- Does my situation warrant medication for my mental health and how might that affect my cancer treatment plan?
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