How to travel from fear to hope on our myeloma journey

If you visit the official website of World Cancer Day, which was Feb. 4, the first thing you’ll see are giant block letters scrolling across the screen, spelling out “fear,” “anger,” “shame,” and “grief.” These are all normal feelings for cancer patients, though I wish “shame” weren’t on that list.

Watch for a bit longer, and more words pop up — “healing,” “acceptance,” and my favorite, “hope.”

So how do we get from fear to hope? From anger to acceptance?

On social media, I often see variations of these questions from multiple myeloma patients, both the newly diagnosed and those further along on the journey through the “Land of I Don’t Know.”

Recommended Reading

October 27, 2025 by Gina Diamante

Navigating a myeloma diagnosis in the land of ‘I don’t know’

These are really big questions, and the answers differ for every patient because myeloma is different for each of us. Some people have severe bone damage, including fractures. Others suffer renal damage and even kidney failure. And then there are the side effects of treatment; some of these are temporary, while others, like peripheral neuropathy, tend to be permanent.

Is it any wonder that we patients mourn who we used to be and the things we used to love to do? That we mourn the future we thought we had? Fellow Rare Cancer News columnist Samuel Ike just wrote a beautiful piece about how he and his mom are dealing with that loss.

Cancer can take away our sense of who and what we are, leaving us staring into an uncertain future.

Although I don’t like seeing the words “fear,” “grief,” and “anger” scrolling across the World Cancer Day homepage in large font, I admit that they’re valid and honest reactions to a cancer diagnosis. But we don’t have to leave it at that.

Looking at it from a different angle

One thing I’ve learned in over 40 years of broadcast news is to look at things differently. One of the most vivid lessons in this came in the mid-1990s, when I was working at a small, local cable news station in Ventura County, California. A rookie police officer had been shot and killed in a town about 40 minutes away from the station. We needed a live truck to cover the story properly, but ours was down due to a mechanical issue.

I brought the problem to the station’s owner. He thought about it for a moment and said, “Let’s get a tow truck.”

So our live truck arrived at the incident command post on a flatbed!

I still laugh about that, but there was a valuable lesson to be learned. You might not be able to do something the usual way, but consider the possibilities.

Putting it into practice

Six years into stringent complete response, I’m still adjusting to differences. My immune system is weaker, so I load up on vitamin C for several days before going to crowded events. My stamina is a little lower, so I rest a bit more than I used to. Afternoon naps are now regular weekend events. I gave up my multi-hour grocery shopping expeditions in favor of online pickup and delivery.

And I frequently ignore the little voice inside that says, “I should,” especially if it’s lecturing me about some chore or other that doesn’t absolutely need to be done at that moment. The house hasn’t fallen down yet!

Cancer has made me slow down and appreciate what I do have and what I can do. No, I’m not the same person I was before my diagnosis. But then again, I wouldn’t have been anyway. Life and experience always change us. Hopefully for the better.

Knowing that is what helps me get to “acceptance.”

Note: Rare Cancer News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Rare Cancer News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to rare cancer.