A Touching Tribute
- Sharon Osbourne shares a touching tribute in honor of guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
- Van Halen passed away at the age of 65 due to throat cancer.
- Osbourne battled colon cancer in 2002, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy for treatment.
Osbourne, 67, shared a series of photos in memory of Van Halen, who passed away at the age of 65 after a very long fight against throat cancer. In the first photo, Van Halen poses alongside Osbourne’s husband, musician Ozzy Osbourne, and they’re all smiles. Osbourne also took the time to walk down memory lane and recall the first time she ever saw the legendary guitarist take the stage.
Read MoreIf anyone knows how difficult a cancer battle can be, it’s certainly Osbourne. In 2002, after three years of not visiting a doctor and Ozzy pleading with her to schedule a visit, the talk show host eventually caved and expected everything to go smoothly. However, she ended up being diagnosed with colon cancer. Osbourne underwent surgery, but after the procedure, she was told that the disease had spread. She continued to fight, and went through chemotherapy treatments before being declared in remission.
The chemotherapy rounds hit Osbourne especially hard both physically and mentally. During a particularly dark day, her daughter Kelly says Osbourne would lock herself in her room and couldn’t stop crying because she felt defeated. During treatment, it’s completely understandable that you may feel like giving up, but it’s important to recognize your strength and keep pushing through. Plus, a little visit from the late and great comedian Robin Williams helped Osbourne significantly.
"I just remember sitting at the bottom of the stairs and we went from crying, not knowing what to do, to just peeing ourselves laughing because we could hear Mom upstairs in her room laughing with Robin. And, the next day it changed everything and Mom went back to chemo," Kelly says.
After successfully going through treatment for colon cancer, Osbourne became much more proactive in taking control of her health. In 2012, she went through genetic testing and discovered that due to a gene mutation she was at high-risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer and ovarian cancer. To prevent another possible brush with cancer, Osbourne underwent a preventative double mastectomy.
Dr. Zuri Murell explains why you need to advocate for yourself during cancer treatment
Sharing Experiences & Guidance
Nothing can prepare you for a cancer diagnosis, but survivors say that hearing from people who have gone through similar experiences can be a helpful resource with coping with upcoming treatment. Advocating for yourself or a loved one impacted by cancer is important during the process, as it allows you to ask every question you might have and try to get some answers.
The impact on cancer can really put life into perspective, and for some people, it made them rethink their entire career paths. This was the case for Sarah Paul, who decided to work for an organization that provides free support services to anyone affected by cancer because she watched her sister battle with the disease.
"My sister was diagnosed with a rare lymphoma, she underwent very serious chemotherapy treatment for about six months," Sarah tells SurvivorNet. "She's been in remission since 2001. Watching my family suffer emotionally, I really want to give that comfort to families now. We really put a lot of our energy into the cancer community because I felt like she was one of the lucky ones … and I wanted to give back."
Sarah Paul pursued a career in helping cancer patients after watching her sister battle the disease
Facing cancer can be a very scary and isolating experience for people, and through Sarah’s organization, she and her colleagues try to make patients feel less alone. Since Sarah watched her sister face cancer, she has been able to provide guidance and support for those during their own journeys, and it’s her favorite part of the job.
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