Finding Hope While Battling Mesothelioma

Today’s Moderator:Dana Nolan, MS LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Hope and Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a challenging, incurable cancer.

Many patients and their loved ones experience hopelessness as they learn about their diagnosis and prognosis.

But many well-meaning loved ones lead patients to believe or advise them to remain positive and hopeful.

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What Is Hope?‘Hope’ has many definitions, but I like this

one related to medical issues: “Hope is a confident yet uncertain expectation

of achieving a future good, which according to the hoping person is realistically possible and personally significant.”

Key concepts of hope: Future good, realistically possible and personally significant.

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Hope for a Cure

A cure: No traces of cancer remain after treatment, and it won’t return.

Complete remission: All signs and symptoms of cancer are gone.

Partial remission: A decrease in tumor size or in the extent of the cancer in the body after treatment.

Most oncologists do not use the word “cured.”

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What Should I Hope for if There Is No Cure?

Go back to those key words about hope: Future goodRealistically possible Personally significant

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Future Good in Mesothelioma

A pain-free life.Remaining off treatment long enough to travel

or visit family.Having enough “good days” to engage in day-

to-day activities.Medical advancements or better symptom

management will improve quality of life and survival time.

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Future Good in Mesothelioma (cont.)

More quality time with family and friendsSpiritual growthWhat else?

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Realistically PossibleWhat is realistically possible in terms of

treatment advances? Advances in last several decades include:

Improved detection, diagnostic practices and technology

Better medications and treatments to manage side effects of nausea/vomiting, fatigue, pain and neuropathy

Targeted therapies: Biotherapy, cryotherapy and immunotherapy

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Realistically Possible (cont.)Are my life goals realistic and doable for

someone with mesothelioma?How am I determining what is realistically

possible for me? Comparing myself to what other cancer patients can do?

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Personally Meaningful

There are individual differences as far as what our values are and what is meaningful.

Our values in life can influence our hopes:Family relationships, taking care of our loved ones

financially if we don’t survive, teaching our children/grandchildren our family history and faith/spirituality.

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Your Own Hope

What mesothelioma patients and caregivers hope for in the future shouldn’t be limited by simply hoping for a cure, which we know is highly unlikely in the near future.

Each day, doctors and researchers get a step closer to that next new clinical trial that may open a new door of opportunity.

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Your Own Values in Hope

Our values are those things and beliefs that we hold dear and meaningful to our heart and spirit.

Examples of values: Popularity, respect, kindness, creativity, safety, peace, spirituality, living ethically, independence, being loved, productivity, physical comfort, financial security, etc.

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Discovering Our Values Leads to Hope

Many mesothelioma patients feel other people tell them what they should think, feel and do to survive.

Most people find hope and comfort in living their lives according to their values, which certainly is realistically possible and feels good.

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Sources

Dufault, K.J. & Martocchio, B.C. (1985) Hope: Its Spheres and Dimensions. Nursing Clinics of North America, 20(2), 379-91.

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Contact Information

1-877-626-5916

(877) 626-5916

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@TheMesoCenter