Carla Deschamps

Carla Deschamps is now a survivor of colon cancer after receiving her diagnosis in February 2020. Read Carla's 

Have you ever asked yourself, “What does standing up to cancer mean to you?” For some people it could mean advocating for someone that is going through the illness while others might believe it is a person that fights the illness and is alive to tell his and/or her story. Not in a million years, would I have thought I would go through cancer. At the age of 34, I received the biggest news of my life, which was my diagnosis with colon cancer. I remembered that day like it was yesterday. In this blog, I would love to share with you my perspective about what it means to me to stand up to cancer.

First of all, when I heard, “We found a mass in your colon and it is cancerous. You have colon cancer. You have to stay in the hospital because we have to do an emergency surgery to get the mass out,” I could not comprehend what the doctor was telling me. I was in complete shock and did not even know how to respond or what to say. When I heard the word cancer, my instant thought was “Is this really happening? Did I just hear that I have cancer?”

During that time, I recalled my body shivering, being completely scared, and all alone. Even though the doctor was trying his best to help me stay at ease, I began to shed tears. I felt such a pain in my heart that words could not describe it. My heart was racing so fast, and I had a million thoughts running through my mind. Yet, I knew I had to calm down, so I took a deep breath. From that moment on, I knew I had to decide how I was going to move forward knowing all the challenges coming my way.

So, what does standing up to cancer mean to me? From my personal experience, it is about making a CHOICE. I chose to be a fighter, a warrior and a survivor, because I knew that this was NOT the end of my story. For this reason, I began my journey to heal myself and overcome ALL the obstacles I was going to face. You have heard the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Well, now more than ever, I live by that principle.

Standing up to cancer, from my perspective, was learning and practicing self-healing. This consisted of changing my way of thinking and attitude. During that time, I remembered telling myself on a consistent basis, “No matter what happens, I will do everything in my power to be cancer free.” With that mindset, I started to train my way of thinking by applying affirmations, meditation, motivational videos, journaling, visualization and the significance of self-love and gratitude in my daily life. I also began to read books that empowered me to improve my self-development.

One of the techniques that played an important role in my life was affirmations, which focused on health. I would tell myself throughout the day, “I am healthy and whole. I have perfect health. I am cancer free. I am healed.” By repeating these affirmations out loud, I trained my way of thinking. I started to focus on positive thoughts versus negative ones. Indeed, looking back, being diagnosed with colon cancer has been a blessing in disguise. I appreciate life more and am open to endless opportunities. I will be forever grateful for this experience making me the woman I am today. FOREVER BLESSED!

This piece reflects the author’s personal experience and perspective. For medical advice, please consult your health care provider.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, 

don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Articles

A personal narrative explores the emotional journey of a colon cancer diagnosis at age 34, emphasizing the importance of mindset in overcoming the disease. The author describes the initial shock and fear, followed by a conscious decision to adopt a positive, proactive approach to healing. Techniques such as affirmations, meditation, and self-love are highlighted as crucial tools in fostering resilience and self-development. The experience is ultimately seen as transformative, leading to a deeper appreciation for life and personal growth, underscoring the power of choice in facing cancer.

At the age of 34, I received the biggest news of my life, which was my diagnosis with colon cancer. I remember that day like it was yesterday.

What Standing Up to Colon Cancer Means to Me

John Wooden once expressed, “Helping others is perhaps the greatest joy! You cannot have a perfect day without helping others with no thought of getting something in return.”

This quote exemplifies my mindset on the significance of helping others, especially when they need it the most. From my perspective, this quote means that there is no greater joy than helping others every day without the expectations of getting something in return. By assisting others, not only has it given me a sense of peace and happiness, but a sense of pride because I am contributing to the community around me. In this blog, I would like to share how my support system continues to play a role in my life after active treatment.

To begin with, I would like to start with my health care team, which consists of my oncologist and her supporting staff. They have been with me since February 2020 after being diagnosed with colon cancer five years ago. Words cannot express how blessed and lucky I am to have by my side a group of individuals that dedicate their love, time, and fortitude to help patients like myself with their hardships, especially with their health. I have seen how their acts of kindness impact others.

For instance, one of my nurses always provided words of encouragement when I completed a cycle during my treatment of chemotherapy. I recalled my nurse stating, “I am so proud of you, Carla. You have stood strong and faithful during your treatment. Keep going, you are almost close to the finishing line. Remember, you are a champion.” Her words not only comforted me but gave me a sense of purpose to keep fighting for my life. Ultimately, my goal was to be cancer free, which I was able to achieve with the assistance of my health care team. The simple joy of seeing patients smile means the world to them. I am lucky enough to be a part of their journey.

Moreover, after my treatment with chemotherapy, my oncologist has been an instrumental piece towards my recovery. She has been my number one supporter throughout this journey. Until this day, my oncologist continues to monitor my progress to make sure I stay healthy and strong. One of the ways she has impacted my life for the better was when she encouraged me to share my story with Hackensack Meridian Health, which led me to CURE Magazine. This has given me the opportunity to share my story and have inspired so many people along the way. I am beyond grateful for everything she has done for me. She has gone the extra mile for me and due to her passion as well as dedication towards her profession, she has had a positive, impactful influence on me during and after my active treatment.

Another supporting system that has helped me along my way is, without a doubt, my family. They have been with me from the moment I was diagnosed with colon cancer. My parents along with my siblings have been cheering me on before, during, and after my active treatment with chemotherapy. Their support has been vital and I could have not done this without them. Knowing that I can count on them no matter what has given me a sense of peace and tranquility that I still need today. Indeed, I am extremely thankful to have an extraordinary group of individuals that have demonstrated unconditional, selfless love. Blessed and grateful today and always.

The narrative emphasizes the profound impact of a support system during and after cancer treatment. It highlights the role of healthcare professionals, particularly an oncologist and nursing staff, in providing emotional and medical support, which contributed to the author's recovery and sense of purpose. The author also acknowledges the unwavering support of family, which provided peace and strength throughout the journey. Sharing personal experiences has allowed the author to inspire others, underscoring the importance of community and selfless assistance in overcoming health challenges.

Five years after being diagnosed with colon cancer, I would like to share how my support system continues to play a role in my life after active treatment.

Thanking My Support System From My Cancer Journey

Have you ever asked yourself, “What am I passionate about?” For some people, it could be their love towards family. For others, it could be their profession and/or hobbies. Yet, when I was diagnosed with colon cancer five years ago, the passion that helped me evolve throughout this experience was my love for writing. For this reason, I began to script in a journal. In this blog, I would like to share my favorite writing piece that allowed me to stay grounded. By writing in my journal, I began to focus on all the things I was grateful for as well as what I wanted in my life, which was to stay healthy and strong.

To start off, journaling became an important technique that I utilized during my recovery. Since I can remember, journaling has been a part of me. It has allowed me to express my thoughts and feelings in a productive manner. Both Rhonda Byrne, who wrote The Secret, and Andrew Kap, who wrote The Last Law of Attraction Book You’ll Ever Need to Read: The Missing Key to Finally Tapping into the Universe and Manifesting Your Desires, played significant roles in how I journaled. Both books focused on how to manifest what you truly want in life. During my recovery, my focal point was my health.

A technique that Kap shared in his book was called The Story Scripting Method. This method consists of journaling as if you are already living what you truly desire. He encourages writing things into existence (in the present tense form) and feeling what it would be like if what you wanted were already here. 

On April 18, 2020, I wrote my first story scripting method:

I am so thankful to be in such wonderful health. My cells are duplicating in vibrant, healing ways in order to protect and support my body. My immune system is getting stronger every day as I eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. I am full of light, positive energy that allows me to see, hear, touch, taste, and feel everything around me. Thank you, Universe, for giving me perfect health. This gives me the opportunity to do all the things that bring me so much joy. 

I love the fact that my body reacts in such luminous, radiant ways when I take my medication. I am so happy and grateful for my health because I get to engage with all the people I love and adore. I have the power to control my health, which is bright, full of energy, and vitality. I am blessed to have a strong heart, lungs, and an extraordinary digestive system. I can exercise every day as well as meditate in order to keep building a powerful, potent, vigorous mindset. Thank you, God, for allowing me to keep going every day. I am grateful for my eyes, nose, ears, mouth, hands, feet, heart, immune system, veins, lungs, cells, and ALL the body parts for helping me have my perfect health. 

Thank you, Universe, for bringing into my life the most radiant, vibrant, positive healing energy a girl can ask for. I am blessed to have an abundance of health. Thank you for my healing scars and making me Cancer Free!! I am grateful for my second chance in life.

Indeed, this scripting was the essence of the power of self-love and gratitude. Without these two qualities, my recovery would not have been the same. I am extremely grateful for all the life lessons I have learned in the past five years. I have grown so much mentally, physically, and spiritually. I love the woman that I have become. Despite everything, I am blessed to be alive.

Journaling played a pivotal role in the author's recovery from colon cancer, serving as a tool for expressing gratitude and manifesting health. Influenced by Rhonda Byrne and Andrew Kap, the author employed the Story Scripting Method, writing as if already experiencing desired health outcomes. This practice fostered a mindset of self-love and gratitude, contributing to mental, physical, and spiritual growth. The author reflects on the transformative power of journaling, emphasizing its impact on their journey to becoming cancer-free and appreciating life’s second chances.

Writing helped me focus on gratitude and healing after my colon cancer diagnosis, transforming the act into a powerful recovery tool.

Can Journaling Help Heal After a Cancer Diagnosis?

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like after being diagnosed with colon cancer? I never imagined I would become a cancer survivor. The joys and challenges of my life after my cancer diagnosis have changed me forever. In this blog, I would like to share with you my ups and downs after my diagnosis with colorectal cancer.

To start, one of my biggest challenges during that time was to thrive during chemotherapy. I did not know what to expect going through the treatment. Even though I was very scared, I made a commitment to myself that my health was my number one priority no matter what during chemo. My mindset was to stay strong and optimistic throughout this journey.

In those days, my oncologist provided me with two different treatment plans that I had to choose from. Option one was a combination of oral and injection medication that would last only three months. Option two, on the other hand, was a six-month duration, but only taking oral medication. I was still indecisive, and I did not know what to do. After speaking with my family and thinking about it for a few days, I finally decided to go with option one.

I told my oncologist that I wanted to see how my body reacted to oral and intravenous chemotherapy. If it was too much for my body to handle, I was going to strictly stay with oral medication even though it was a longer time span. My treatment consisted of two weeks straight on medication and one week off. This included doing blood work and check-ins every three weeks.

Moreover, in April 2020, I started chemotherapy. During that time, I was working from home due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a way, it was a blessing in disguise since I had already begun my treatment. Within those two weeks, I was taking oral pills with a combination of IV. I noticed that it was too much for my body to handle, especially because I was very slim. I was constantly tired, felt nauseated all the time, and I barely had any appetite. For this reason, at the end of the first cycle, I informed my doctor that, moving forward, I wanted to stay with oral medication only.

When I began the second cycle of my treatment, I noticed that my body reacted much better since it was only one dose versus two. I started to eat more, and my energy increased tremendously. I was feeling like my old self again, which brought me a sense of peace and happiness. I was extremely excited when I finally finished my last cycle of chemo in October 2020. Everything went well, and my doctor was extremely joyful with the results of the treatment.

Additionally, one of my momentous joys after my diagnosis with colon cancer was realizing the significance of a healing heart through self-healing. You are probably wondering how I healed myself without going to therapy or speaking with a psychologist. The first step I took in my self-healing recovery was changing my way of thinking and attitude. I told myself, “No matter what happens, I will do everything in my power to be cancer-free.” With that mindset, I started to train my way of thinking by applying affirmations, meditation, motivational videos, journaling, visualization, and emphasizing the importance of self-love and gratitude in my daily life. Self-healing, without a doubt, was my crucial triumph to become a cancer survivor.

In conclusion, even though I had my ups and downs after my diagnosis with colon cancer, I would not change anything I went through as it made me the woman I am today. I am much stronger because of it. I love the person I have become, and this unexpected journey made me appreciate life more.

A personal narrative details the journey of a colon cancer survivor, highlighting the challenges and triumphs experienced during and after chemotherapy. The author initially faced difficulties with a combination of oral and intravenous chemotherapy but found relief and improved well-being by switching to oral medication only. The COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently provided a conducive environment for treatment. Emphasizing self-healing, the author adopted a positive mindset, utilizing affirmations, meditation, and self-love practices. This transformative experience fostered personal growth, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for life.

I share my challenges and healing journey through colon cancer treatment, emphasizing mindset, self-healing and a newfound appreciation for life.

Carla Deschamps

What Standing Up to Colon Cancer Means to Me

Thanking My Support System From My Cancer Journey

Can Journaling Help Heal After a Cancer Diagnosis?

What to Expect During Chemo For Colon Cancer: A Survivor’s Story

Latest News