Carrying on a Legacy
- Multi-instrumentalist Wolfgang Van Halen, 29, talks about his lyrics from his song ‘Distance,’ about his dad, the late Eddie Van Halen whom he lost to cancer. “It’s almost like a mantra for you when you lose someone,” he says on the Today Show, where he debuted a new acoustic version of the song. “That’s kind of my mantra when I think about my dad.”
- “Wolfie” Van Halen was 9 when his dad was first diagnosed with cancer. Parents going through cancer often say that telling their kids is the hardest part of their diagnosis. “I didn’t want her to see me weak and sickly … when it comes to your kids, I think you always want to sort of protect them,” one breast cancer survivor tells SurvivorNet.
- Using music to cope with a tragic loss or a cancer diagnosis is particularly comforting. “Without air guitar, my treatment would have been incredibly sad,” says music-enthusiast Marquina Iliev-Piselli to SurvivorNet.
Missing His Hero
“Wolfie,” as Carson Daly and the other Today Show hosts refer to him as, posted a pic of he and his ‘pop’ in November, shortly after rock icon’s death. “Not a second goes by where you're not on my mind, he says in a sweet tribute. “I miss talking with you. I miss laughing with you. I miss listening to music with you. I miss making music with you. I just miss everything. I love you so much, Pop.” Then adds, “It's really hard being here without you.”
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Losing a parent is one of life’s hardest struggles and losing a parent to cancer at a relatively young age is particularly hard. Luckily, the budding rock star had the blessing of his dad being able to hear some of his music before he passed. "I'm so thankful that my father was able to listen to and enjoy the music I made. Nothing made me happier than seeing how proud he was that I was continuing the family legacy," said Wolfgang in a previous statement.
When a Parent is Diagnosed with Cancer
Wolfgang is well into adulthood by now, but learning your parent has cancer at any age is not easy, and the artist was only 9 when his dad had his first cancer diagnosis. Many people going through cancer are scared to tell their children, and it is one of the biggest challenges parents face while struggling through their diagnosis.
Breast cancer survivor Gina de Givenchey was faced with the challenge of telling her 12-year-old daughter that she had cancer. “I felt it was important to mask it because I really wanted her to know that I was going to be OK,” she tells SurvivorNet. “I didn’t want her to see me weak and sickly … when it comes to your kids, I think you always want to sort of protect them.” People are faced with thoughts about dying and leaving their children alone, which many survivors report as being harder than the diagnosis itself.
Telling Your Kids You Have Cancer ‘When it Comes to Your Kids, You Want to Protect Them’
Healing through Music
It is common to struggle with loss and sometimes people fall victim to isolation, or alcohol /drug abuse to numb the pain. A healthier way to heal is through art, like Wolfgang Van Halen. Although we do not know what feelings Van Halen struggles with privately, what he has chosen to show to the world regarding his healing process in the form of music is quite beautiful.
People going through cancer also often use music to help comfort them process their emotions. “I have found music and rock ‘n’ roll to be transformational,” survivor Joel Naftelberg tells us. “Without air guitar, my treatment would have been incredibly sad,” says music-enthusiast Marquina Iliev-Piselli to SurvivorNet, while always showing off her impressive skills.
Music and Art – Reflecting On Your Cancer Journey
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