Hope, it gives us the opportunity to do what we must do to heal from our cancer. “Hope is the miracle medicine of the mind. It inspires the will to live. Hope is the physician’s strongest ally.” Hope is our strongest ally. A physician is in a powerful position to influence the outcome of disease. Even in the face of the most advanced of cancers, there is usually room for some words of encouragement and support, which can make all the difference in the patient’s attitude towards their disease and their treatment. Yet, physicians don’t always offer hope. Many patients are told to go home and get their affairs in order, there is nothing we can do, or are given a grim prognosis. Many hear these words upon their initial diagnosis, as the cancer has already progressed.
“While there is life there is hope, has deeper meaning in reverse. While there is hope there is life. Hope comes first, life follows. Hope gives power to life. Hope rouses life to continue to expand, to grow, to reach out, to go on. Hope sees a light where there isn’t any. Hope lights candles in millions of despairing hearts. Where would I be without hope?” ~ Wilferd A. Peterson May 23, 1933
Putting hope in the proper context is important, and false hope is not always beneficial. However, there are countless stories of patients who were offered little chance of survival or a cure, yet who are here years later to tell their tale, so “false hopelessness” is clearly not beneficial either. Early state or late stage— Hope, it gives us the opportunity to do what we must do to heal from our cancer. No matter what path we choose for our healing, hope shall be ever present, for while there is hope, there is life. We can hope for a cure. We can hope for peace, comfort and relief from pain as we live each day we are given. We can hope for a long life, living with our cancer. While there is hope, there is life.
Want to learn more? Join us for Survive and Live Well, Tuesday at 1pm, EST when I talk with Dr Keith Block on Survival Statistics– what they mean to us; and you won’t want to miss our discussion on Hope: false hope and false hopelessness. You can listen live on www.W4Cs.com or by steaming the show on iTunes.
I also had the opportunity to chat about hope and survival with Dr Deanna Attai. You can replay that show here.
While there is Hope there is life
The well-known maxim, “While there is life there is hope,” has a deeper meaning in reverse: “While there is… hope there is life.”Hope comes first, life follows. Hope gives power to life. Hope rouses life to continue, to expand, to grow, to reach out, to go on.Hope sees a light where there isn’t any.Hope lights candles in millions of despairing hearts.Hope is the miracle medicine of the mind. It inspires the will to live. Hope is the physician’s strongest ally.Hope is our shield and buckler against defeat. “Hope,” wrote Alexander Pope, “springs eternal in the human breast.” And as long as it does we will triumph and move forward.Hope never sounds retreat. Hope keeps the banners flying.Hope revives ideals, renews dreams, revitalizes visions.Hope scales the peak, wrestles with the impossible, achieves the highest aim.”The word which God has written on the brow of every person,” wrote Victor Hugo, “is Hope.” As long as we have hope no situation is hopeless. Wilferd A Peterson
You may also like: Hope: The Miracle Medicine, my article on hope written for my Options for Life column in the Natural Healing, Natural Wellness E-Zine.
Elyn
~~If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any~~
Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn is on the peer review board of the Natural Standard Database. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys.
Facebook @Elyn Jacobs Consulting
LinkedIn @Elyn Jacobs
elyn jacobs 
This message is so important for everyone to hear. So often when we think of “hope” we immediately think it’s “false hope” and refuse to allow our thoughts to go there.
I look forward to your discussion!
Looking forward to your show on hope . Will be interesting to see what a scientist (Dr. Block) has to say. Thanks for continuing to dig on great subjects.
Thank you Savvy Sister and Rachel…have a peaceful day!!!
Hope is one of those loaded words, or it can be. It means different things to different people in different contexts. I’m often guilty of over-analyzing words, including this one. But hope in its purest form is a beautiful and powerful thing. And who doesn’t need a little hope? Thanks for the post.
You are so right Nancy. A word– friend to one; enemy to another, and hope is one of those words. Lets hope this one falls softly! thanks for stopping by Nancy.
[…] Jacobs’ post titled “Hope and the Cancer Patient” (https://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/hope-and-the-cancer-patient/) is a great reminder of the role hope plays in healing. I especially love her quote at the end of […]