Treating cancer more holistically
Cancer is complex and unique to every individual. Cancer therapy should be individualized to the specific patient to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. As more and more patients turn to alternative therapies versus conventional ones, a more holistic approach is taken for healing. One common question asked at Dayspring Cancer Clinic is how faith can play a role in a holistic approach to cancer therapy. In this blog, we’ll share how faith regardless of denomination can support cancer patients.
Faith builds:
Emotional support. Faith provides people hope and strength in challenging times like those during cancer. People also find comfort in believing in a higher power that offers loving kindness through spiritual feelings which provides a longer-term perspective that provides more stability in uncertainty.
Perspective. A faith-filled perspective reaches beyond one’s current circumstances of mortality, which includes suffering from cancer. Instead of worrying about the present, a faith-filled perspective in an afterlife or spiritual journey can reassure patients particularly those with cancers in advanced stages.
Support through the community. Faith communities provide patients with a supportive group they can turn to in difficult times like cancer. Prayer groups, services, and gatherings of fellow worshipers offer opportunities for encouragement, understanding, and assistance from fellow believers.
Resilience. Cancer is tough no matter how one looks at it. Faith can bolster one’s ability to endure and be resilient during cancer treatment. Cancer takes a physical as well as an emotional toll. A belief in a higher and greater purpose can provide added strength to face the adversity of cancer.
Coping tools. Faith is often accompanied by meditation, prayer, and overall mindfulness which are all positive elements that improve mental health. Cancer treatment can bring added anxiety, stress, fear, feelings of loneliness, and depression. Exercising faith on the other hand facilitates a sense of control amidst turmoil and promotes relaxation and peace.
Improved healing. Some published studies suggest that faith does more than help the spirit. Faith may have a positive effect on physical health and healing outcomes. Faith isn’t a substitute for medical therapies and treatments; however, they can complement and even enhance the likelihood for positive results driven by a reduction in stress-related symptoms. Also, having a positive outlook on one’s cancer derived from a foundation of faith improves one’s overall quality of life and can influence recovery and treatment response.
Take the Leap
Cancer is complex and unique so healing requires an approach that is also individualized for each patient. Similarly, faith is also deeply personal, so it’s important to understand how one draws strength from spiritual belief will vary from one to another. The key to faith is to be open to how it can support you best as part of your cancer journey. Look for healthcare providers who understand how to integrate your faith as part of a holistic approach to therapy and healing. Science coupled with faith is strong medicine. Talk to our medical director Dr. Andrew Dickens about how your faith can be an integral part of your treatment plan for your cancer by calling 480-699-7400 or schedule a consultation at https://www.dayspringcancerclinic.com/contact.