When my life was finally all coming together, suddenly it all fell apart.

At age 22, after what I thought was a minor lung infection, I was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma. And the cherry on top of my big cancer cake was that it was already stage IV and very aggressive.

I was forced to take a long (and very unwanted) pause in my life. But, six months later, I am in remission and back to being me.

My secret? Well, other than my amazing medical team, technological advancements, and medicine, a positive attitude is what got me through it. I truly believe that half of the battle with cancer is with what goes on in your head. The thoughts in your head can become your worst enemy and your biggest source of fear. Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to be sad—I even encourage a good cry here and there. And it’s not always easy to stay positive, actually, it’s quite hard. Amidst losing your hair, being stuck in a hospital for much longer than anyone would like, and having to learn an entire encyclopedia’s worth of medical terminology, you’re also dealing with constantly feeling sick, ever-growing medical bills, oh and accepting the fact that you have cancer.

But no matter how hard my days were, I always tried to remind myself of the good things I still had in my life. I constantly counted my blessings and did my best to figure out what new blessing I received from this cancer. Blessing from cancer? Yes, having cancer has taught me many important life lessons that have shaped me into a new version of myself. The new happier, more motivated, and stronger me.

Approaching any situation with a positive mindset is highly beneficial, but especially in a case where your body needs to physically heal. I know that there is no science to back the fact that a positive attitude can help kill cancer, but it sure doesn’t help to try it out, right? I know that it’s insanely difficult, but please give it a try. Start out small, and little by little, notice the good things every single day.

Just keep reminding yourself that you’re tougher than this cancer. You’re going to be okay and soon this cancer will only be a small chapter in your beautiful long life.

ABOUT Magdalena

Bio

• Winnipeg

Diagnosis

• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Primary Treatment

• Chemotherapy

Primary Cancer Center

• Other

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