When You Have Cancer "You have cancer." This may be one of the most frightening sentences one can hear. Being diagnosed with cancer can have profound emotional and spiritual effects, as well as physical ones. The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing is here to provide support and information in order to help you cope, heal, and even grow through this challenge. Coping With a New Cancer Diagnosis A new cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming experience. But the determination to survive, both physically and emotionally, can accompany the normal feelings of shock, fear, and worry. Understanding your feelings, and those of people close to you, can help you cope with your diagnosis, treatment, and healing. At The Patrick Dempsey Center for Hope & Healing, we believe that cancer also provides opportunities for personal growth. Through our educational programs, support groups, and cancer resource library, we can connect you to resources that will enhance your ability to cope with your own or a loved one's cancer. When Your Cancer Is Advanced Despite hard work and the best efforts of you and your healthcare team, cancer treatment sometimes stops working and cure or long-term remission is no longer possible. This stage of cancer is called "advanced cancer." Living with advanced cancer can require new approaches to coping. Many people with advance cancer describe mixed feelings of fear, grief, anger, and other strong emotions. For many, there is also a feeling of relief at no longer having to wonder if or when the cancer will come back, and whether or not treatment will work. Living with advanced cancer often leads to intense soul-searching, as one strives to find peace and meaning while approaching the end of life. At The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing, we have learned how important it is to offer opportunities for people living with advanced cancer to connect with others for both social and emotional support. We collaborate with and offer referrals to the Cancer Community Center’s “Maine Buddy Program”, a one-on-one peer support program, in addition to offering counseling services and cancer support groups. Survivorship Issues The cancer community generally defines cancer survivorship as the process of living with, through, and beyond cancer. In this definition, cancer survivorship begins at diagnosis. Some cancer survivors note a deeper appreciation of life and a sense of growth through the experience of having cancer. Others struggle with a sense of uncertainty about coping with life once treatment ends. Many struggle with how to balance the normal feelings of fear of recurrence with a sense of hope and optimism about the future. Survivorship is truly a unique journey for each individual. Survivors may benefit greatly from connecting with other cancer survivors, whether in a support group, through a peer connection program, or by volunteering their time to help others who have cancer.