The Healing Power of Music
- Country singer Jillian Cardarelli, 33, celebrated her first “Glam Jam” after stage 2 breast cancer surgery, singing Rascal Flatts’ “These Days” while embracing her recovery journey.
- Creating and listening to music, or engaging in any other form of art or creation, can be a powerful tool when coping with cancer or other health struggles.
- Research has shown that just listening to music can reduce anxiety and produce other positive effects on mental health.
- If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group filled with loved ones are there to help you on your journey.
After receiving care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, Cardarelli marked a meaningful step in her healing journey with heartwarming footage shared on Instagram.
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“First glam jam since surgery. One of my desert island songs #thesedays @rascalflatts written by the goat @jsteelemusic,” Cardarelli captioned the post.
She’s heard singing the lyrics,”I wake up in teardrops that fall down like rain/ I put on that old song we danced to and then
I head off to my job/ Guess not much has changed.
“Punch the clock, head for home/ Check the phone, just in case/ Go to bed, dream of you/ That’s what I’m doing these days.”
Rascal Flatts released “These Days” in 2002, and the song went on to become the country trio’s first No. 1 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
“These Days” may be an emotional break-up song, but it’s one of Cardarelli’s favorites and that makes us incredibly happy to see her continuing to do what she loves on her breast cancer journey.
In another exciting moment after surgery, Cardarelli offered some new music news to fans in another post, writing, “I recorded new music earlier this year, and these photos and videos were captured around that time, before I had any idea what the next few months would hold.
“So much has changed since then, but one thing hasn’t: how much I love making music and sharing it with all of you. I can’t wait to for you to hear ‘Leave Me Tennessee’ this Friday.”
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Cardarelli’s Breast Cancer Journey
Cardarelli “Glam Jam” comes as she’s recovering from surgery for stage 2 breast cancer and taking her recovery “one day at a time” while waiting for the next steps in her treatment plan.
Cardarelli, whose mother has been living with stage 4 breast cancer for 12 years, took to social media on June 26 to share photos of herself in the hospital, writing, “The first big step is behind me.” While she did not specify the type of surgery she underwent, she offered an update on her recovery journey.
“Now it’s time to heal while we wait for the next step in my treatment plan,” Cardarelli captioned her Instagram post. “Thank you to the incredible team at Dana-Farber for your kindness, compassion, and support throughout such a challenging and stressful process. I’m truly so grateful to be in your care.”
She added, “Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me, checked in, and lifted me up. One day at a time. As always… #CheckYourGirls.”
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Cardarelli previously announced her diagnosis on June 10.
“If breast cancer can happen to an otherwise healthy young woman with no family history of breast cancer, negative genetic testing, and 7 years before routine screening is recommended, it can happen to anyone,” said the “What’s It Gonna Take Singer,” accompanied by a screenshot of an exclusive article by People magazine.
“My hope is that sharing this journey encourages other young women to get familiar with their bodies, trust their instincts, advocate for themselves, and never ignore something if it feels off.”
She shared that, despite how difficult her diagnosis has been, her faith remains strong and unshaken. And although she doesn’t have all the answers yet, she’s choosing to take things day by day, while staying grounded in gratitude.
“I’m incredibly thankful for my husband, family, and friends, who have walked alongside me every step of the way. As for my parents, I hit the parent lottery, to say the least. I also feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a medical team I trust implicitly,” she concluded.
“You know your body better than anyone. Trust your instincts and remember: you are the CEO of your own health.”
Cardarelli previously told People that she received her diagnosis of stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma in May.
Recounting what led to her diagnosis, she explained, “I’ve had areas in my breasts that have been diagnosed with dense fibrous tissue since I was 25 years old that I’ve been getting looked at by ultrasound a couple of times, but nothing was ever seen.
“But then, I felt something a little different to me. I knew my body. I was a little more tired.”
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Finding Comfort and Healing Through Music Amid Cancer
Creating, listening, and even performing music can be a powerful tool. Most people have felt the positive effects of a musical experience, like Jillian Cardarelli, but fewer people know there is actually science to back it up.
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Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, “Just listening to music activates more brain regions simultaneously than any other human activity.”
A study published last year in the journal Parkinson’s Disease researched the effects music had on the brain. It found music can help reduce anxiety for patients. Dr. Serap Bastepe-Gray, who co-founded the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine with Dr. Pantelyat, led the study.
“The guitar, which is portable, affordable, and one of the most popular instruments in the U.S., has potential as a motivational therapeutic tool both in the clinical and community settings,” Dr. Bastepe-Gray said.
Music therapy is a resource cancer patients turn to during treatment. Music therapy includes “creating, singing, moving, listening and/or relaxing” to the sounds of your favorite songs according to the National Cancer Institute.
This form of therapy can help relieve depression, stress, anxiety, and pain.
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Focusing on something you love is an important way to build resilience in the face of coping with cancer and chronic disease, psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman previously told SurvivorNet. She explained what she calls the “three wellsprings of vitality,” which are connecting with others, contributing to the lives of others, and challenging yourself to continue growing.
“Those are the cores of vitality, and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman said.
When Is It Okay to Share Your Diagnosis?
Some people battling a disease or cancer are open to sharing their experiences as much as they can, while others prefer to keep it to themselves or close loved ones. SurvivorNet experts say both approaches and everything in between, are valid.
“Patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer sometimes wonder how they are going to handle the diagnosis of the cancer in social situations,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik explains.
Questions like “How much information should they share and with whom should they share the information?” are things Plutchik says patients take into consideration.
Do I Need to Share My Cancer Diagnosis in Social Situations?
Dr. Plutchik explains, “There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis. People should do what feels right to them.”
A cancer journey can last months to years, which means cancer warriors may be experiencing a lot of uncertainty until they fully understand where their health stands. This uncertainty can influence when a cancer patient is ready to share their diagnosis, Dr. Plutchik further explained.
Dr. Plutchik stresses that those close to a person going through cancer should be respectful of their wishes when it comes to disclosing their diagnosis and seeking support.
Adjusting to Life After a Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis will undoubtedly upend your life in some form, but learning to cope with the onset of changes can make the adjustment easier to bear. You may notice your emotions and feelings fluctuating, ranging from high anxiety to depression. Experiencing a range of emotions and feelings is completely normal.
Dr. Plutchik says your emotions are likely to be fluid in the first few days, weeks, and possibly even months after a diagnosis.
Expert Resources On Coping With a Diagnosis
Cancer patients are encouraged to build a support system of people they trust to help manage these emotions during this sensitive period. Mental health professionals are also very helpful in managing emotions during the cancer journey.
Cancer and treatment can have an impact on your physical appearance. Chemotherapy, for example, often causes hair loss, which can drastically alter how you view yourself.
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin explained to SurvivorNet, “Cancer changes who you are both physically and emotionally.”
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology questioned how self-esteem should be considered in cancer patients. Researchers noted cancer patients’ framing of their diagnosis and how they cope with their diagnosis and subsequent treatment impacts their self-esteem throughout their cancer journeys.
“Adaptive adjustment strategies (positive reframing, use of emotional support, active coping, acceptance, and planning) in breast cancer patients were associated with high self-esteem. Social support also appears to be strongly related to self-esteem,” the study says.
Dr. Strongin suggests looking at the part or parts of your body impacted by the cancer or cancer treatment to help you cope with body changes. She recommends creating a regular practice of accepting your body image because it enables you to accept your cancer journey emotionally and physically.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body. It may not happen immediately, but you can start honoring and thanking your new body with time.
“Just because the treatment is behind you, the emotional recovery can take longer,” Dr. Strongin adds.
If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group is filled with loved ones who are there to help you on your journey.
Working Through Cancer & Prioritizing Gratitude
SurvivorNet experts say working during cancer treatment, if you’re able to continue performing your regular duties, can help your prognosis.
Doctors and social workers in the oncology field have told SurvivorNet that they recommend working during cancer treatment because work can establish a sense of normalcy in a person’s life.
WATCH: Working during cancer treatment.
It provides a needed source of income and reminds you that you have a life apart from cancer as a valued employee, a great boss, or a trusted co-worker.
A work-life also encourages regular contact with others. Sometimes, cancer can make you feel isolated and lonely, and being around people can be a great comfort.
It’s important to talk with your doctor before taking the big step of returning to work, whether in an office, a warehouse, or back on stage. Some people can continue to work during cancer treatment, and those who need to take some time away.
It depends on the person, their cancer, and the treatment.
“Some women choose to continue working [through cancer] because working is a significant part of their identity, they enjoy the job, and there’s flexibility built in,” Laurie Ostacher, a social worker at Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, told SurvivorNet.
“I help folks think about whether it makes sense to work. If you don’t want to but are worried you’re not going to be able to make ends meet, then I’ll sit down and help them figure out, you know, with your disability insurance, would this be possible?”
No matter what, it’s important to do what’s right for you and seek out valuable resources like Ostacher if you need help deciding on the right course of action for working during a cancer battle.
Meanwhile, as for the importance of staying appreciative during a health journey, Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet that his patients who live with gratitude tend to handle treatment better because this attitude is one way to stay mentally healthy.
One reason this phenomenon is often reported anecdotally could be due to the reduction in stress level. Stress and anxiety can lead to physical issues, and practicing gratitude can help get both under control.
Living With Gratitude
“The patients who do well with cancer, they live life with that kind of gratitude, but in terms of everything,” he explained. “They’re grateful, not for cancer, but they’re grateful for an opportunity to know that life is finite.”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, multiple studies have indicated that learning to live with gratitude can lead to more happiness and less stress. One way to exercise gratitude is to take time to think about things you appreciate everyday, and some people find it helpful to write down those things in a journal.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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