Celebrating Milestones
- “Red Solo Cup” singer Toby Keith, who turned 62 this month, recently celebrated a major milestone with his wife. The loving couple has been married for 39 years – something Keith’s official social media accounts celebrated with a nostalgic throwback photo of him and his wife.
- Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is more likely to form in the gastroesophageal junction the area where the long tube (esophagus) that carries food you swallow meets the stomach for people in the United States.
- Reaching milestones during or after a cancer battle is huge. These events like getting engaged, turning another year older, or even wedding anniversaries may mean even more than they did previously, so it's important to take them all in and celebrate all that you've overcome.
- One expert tells SurvivorNet that emotional health is associated with with better cancer-related outcomes. So, it's important to keep doing things that you love during your cancer journey. And for some people, that may involve working.
The award-winning singer, known for his first number one hit song “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” celebrated him and his wife’s love amid his ongoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy (which uses the body's own immune system to fight the cancer) treatments.
It’s unclear when the photo was taken but Country Living speculates it to have been sometime around the late 1980s or early 1990s.
Keith is seen in the photo wearing a tuxedo, with his curly hair, standing next to his wife, who is also dressed up nicely in a gown.
Happy anniversary to Toby and Tricia! pic.twitter.com/TZaeI13ek2
— Toby Keith (@tobykeith) March 24, 2023
The photograph prompted fans to wish the beautiful pair “many more years” of love and happiness to come.
According to Taste of Country, Keith, who was 22 at the time they wed, and his wife started dating after meeting at a club in Oklahoma about two years before getting married.
More recently, the “Red Solo Cup” singer celebrated another big event. He turned 62 over the weekend, on July 8.
Keith’s birthday comes after the singer revealed he’s nearing the end of cancer treatment that appears to be working.
Expert Stomach Cancer Resources
- 5 Life Lessons We Learned From Mister Rogers, Who Died 18 Years Ago From Stomach Cancer
- New Hope For Stomach Cancer: Immunotherapy Drug Opdivo Now Approved As a First Treatment
- Floss Today to Slash Your Chances of Stomach and Esophageal Cancer Tomorrow
- Remembering Legendary Western Actor John Wayne, Who Passed of Stomach Cancer Over 40 Years Ago: The Importance of Clinical Trials
The patriotic award-winning singer has been battling stomach cancer since his 2021 diagnosis. He told The Oklahoman in an interview, he’s “feeling pretty good” and that he’s a few weeks away from receiving his last scan.
“I expect next time I look for that tumor to be even less − and I've only got one that's shown up…Basically, everything is in a real positive trend,” Keith, who expects to be back on tour this Fall, added.
Toby Keith's Cancer Journey
Toby Keith was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021. The country star has not said much publicly about his cancer journey outside of limited interviews and announcing it on his social media last year.
In a recent interview with Country Music Television, Keith said, “I need a little bit of time to just rest up and heal up.”
“I'm thinking about getting back to fighting shape…It's pretty debilitating to have to go through all that, but as long as everything stays hunky-dory, then we'll look at something good in the future,” he added.
The brave singer underwent six months of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. He had to cancel scheduled concerts following his diagnosis so he could focus on his recovery.
— Toby Keith (@tobykeith) June 12, 2022
Despite his own cancer battle, Keith has maintained a grateful and positive mindset. He even hosted his 19th annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic tournament to raise money for kids last month.
And his support for our troops continues online even though he's scaled back his travels at this time.
Reaching Milestones as a Cancer Survivor
Reaching milestones during or after a cancer battle is huge. These events like getting engaged, turning another year older, or a wedding anniversary like Toby Keith just celebrated may mean even more than they did previously, so it's important to take them all in and celebrate all that you've overcome.
I'm Able to Be Here For More Milestones One Cancer Survivor's Incredible Story
Chrissy Degennaro, a cancer warrior determined to keep enjoying these precious milestones, is a great example of this. She has been battling a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma for 14 years, and was first diagnosed when she was just 36 years old with a 2-year-old son.
When she was diagnosed, she almost expected to not be able to see him enter kindergarten. But thanks to 27 rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, a CAR-T cell trial and two CAR-T cell transplants over following 14 years, she's able to keep making memories with her family.
“You know, I do live one day at a time,” Chrissy previously told SurvivorNet. “Now, maybe I can go a week, a month, but things are looking pretty good. I'm able to be here for more milestones for my son, for more holidays, more birthdays. I do feel like I have had another chance at life.”
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Understanding Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, can affect any part of the stomach. Interestingly enough, stomach cancers usually develop in the main part of the stomach (stomach body) for most of the world, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In the United States, however, stomach cancer is more likely to form in the gastroesophageal junction the area where the long tube (esophagus) that carries food you swallow meets the stomach. Factors that increase your risk of having stomach cancer include:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Obesity
- A diet high in salty and smoked foods
- A diet low in fruits and vegetables
- Family history of stomach cancer
- Infection with Helicobacter pylori
- Long-term stomach inflammation (gastritis)
- Smoking
- Stomach polyps
Treatment options for stomach cancer can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy. The decision-making process for choosing a treatment path can vary depending on a few factors, including:
- The cancer's location
- The stage of the cancer
- How aggressive the cancer is
- Your overall health
- Your treatment preferences
- Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer are not exclusive to the disease, but they may include: Difficulty swallowing, feeling bloated, feeling full, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, stomach pain, unintentional weight loss, and vomiting.
Having a Supportive Partner during a Cancer Battle
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin says people faced with cancer should “surround [themselves] with individuals who care and support [them]” throughout treatment while also acknowledging their limits on what they can handle, just as Keith’s wife continues to stands by his side.
"Going through [cancer] treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience," Dr. Strongin wrote in a column for SurvivorNet. "Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much… [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment."
If you're ever in a relationship where you feel overwhelmed by how your partner is trying to support you, Dr. Strongin says you should try to communicate your feelings. This may help you decide if your partner is the person you want beside you "during this arduous chapter" of life.
Continuing to Do What You Love during a Cancer Journey
Just because you're undergoing cancer treatment, like Toby Keith, does not mean you should stop doing what you love. In fact, experts recommend quite the opposite. Studies have shown that patients who are able to stay upbeat and positive often have better treatment outcomes.
It doesn't really matter what you do, but experts like Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, recommend doing whatever makes you happy.
Dr. Dana Chase encourages those facing cancer to find moments of joy during treatment
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes," Chase told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "So working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival.
"If that's related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
Do What You Love Even if Cancer Gets in the Way of Your Dreams
For other people, getting back to work is really important because they like what they do like Keith.
Financial reasons and maintaining a sense of normalcy can also lead people to want to return to work, but it's important to try to make a work schedule that suits your treatment path no matter what your reasoning is.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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