Finding Hope In Bravery
- “American Ninja Warrior” co-host Matt Iseman, 52, battled kidney cancer back in 2007 and had part of his kidney removed.
- Since then, he’s been cancer-free and has found hope through others – specifically the brave contestants on the sports entertainment reality show he hosts.
- Overcoming adversity can seem daunting. However, focusing on the following steps can help you make a meaningful change: set a goal, make a plan, rely on others, and use positive self-talk.
- Remember, when faced with a cancer battle or health struggle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease. But it's important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
The actor and comedian, who rose to fame when he won “The New Celebrity Apprentice” hosted by actor Arnold Swaarzengager in 2017, has been uplifting ninja warrior competitors and offering play-by-plays on the show since 2010.
Read More“@akbar_gbaja [his co-host Akbar Gbajabiamila] & I were losing our minds. Which, I think you can kinda hear,” the Colorado-born TV host wrote.
Following Weiland’s incredible performance, Iseman looked directly into the camera and asked, “What’s your excuse?” – seemingly meaning he believes anything is possible after watching that miraculous move.
Coping With Cancer
“Being a part of ‘Ninja Warrior’ is so humbling, because anytime I think things that I have faced are challenging, I see people who are out here running the course with Parkinson's disease, people who've had cancer, people who've had strokes, people who've lost limbs,” Iseman previously told Coping Magazine.
“You see people who have gone through far worse and still find a way to continue to pursue their goals.”
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He explained, “I feel lucky being around these people. It's been amazing seeing the athletes on Ninja Warrior and the strength that people have in challenging situations.
“You see that the power of sharing these positive stories gives people hope. And that's what I love about Ninja Warrior. You overcome literal obstacles on the course, but it's the metaphorical ones in life that you overcome that really define people.”
However, Iseman is an inspiration himself, as he was brave throughout his battle with rheumatoid arthritis at age 31 in 2022. The inflammatory disease left him unable to exercise, fatigued, and 50 pounds heavier.
“My life fell apart,” Iseman told the magazine. “All of a sudden be told you have a chronic autoimmune disease and there's no cure … You'll always be on treatment, and even with treatment, there's no guarantee on what your future could be. That was a real blow.”
He ultimately got his rheumatoid arthritis symptoms under control with an immunosuppressant.
Then, five years later, Iseman began to feel discomfort in his chest, prompting his doctor to send him for a chest X-ray and CAT scan. The testing revealed a small mass was found on his kidney.
Luckily, the part of his kidney was removed to test the tumor, which was found to be malignant. But three weeks later, after his five-hour surgery and a pathology report, he received a renal cell carcinoma diagnosis and was told that he no longer had cancer.
Iseman told the magazine, “It was just surreal. You're faced with this specter of cancer, and then you find out worst-case scenario you do have cancer. But in that same breath, you're told the cancer is now gone. My head was spinning.
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“I know how lucky I am. That's why I like to share my story. Because anytime the word cancer comes up, it's hard not to conjure worst-case scenarios. I think the more we can tell stories about these good outcomes, the more people realize there's hope.”
Iseman has been cancer free since but is still treating his rheumatoid arthritis, which has been controlled well.
Overcoming Adversity
Overcoming adversity can seem daunting. But the experts we spoke with say focusing on the following steps can help you make meaningful change.
1. Set a goal. No matter what the situation, create a new goal for yourself. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer or a chronic illness, perhaps one goal would be to educate yourself about the disease and the possible treatments as much as possible.
2. Make a plan. How will you achieve this goal? Your plan will help you focus on that goal. Dr. Siddhartha Ganguly refers to this determined, focused mindset as "the eye of the tiger," which can help people dealing with health problems, such as lymphoma and other cancers. "You have to have the eye of the tiger to go through this grueling process that is necessary these days to get rid of these virulent and aggressive cancers," Dr. Ganguly, a cancer specialist at Houston Methodist, told SurvivorNet.
3. Rely on others. Spend time with people who show you unconditional support and encouragement. They will ease your stress and help you remember that you're not alone in this! Dr. Samantha Boardman, a psychiatrist and author, tells SurvivorNet that one "coping strategy that can be productive is reaching out, talking to others. Having support we know is really critical in the healing process."
4. Use positive self-talk. Leave messages with affirmations in places you frequent. Put notes around your mirror or the computer screen that says "You got this!" or "Keep going!" Cut out inspirational quotes from people you admire and surround yourself with their words. Dr. Boardman explains to SurvivorNet that "Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions."
Finding Joy Outside of Cancer
When faced with a cancer battle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease. But it's important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
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“I'm pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life."
Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, also advocates for cancer warriors to prioritize their mental health. She noted that emotional well-being has been studied as a factor in patient outcomes.
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet in an earlier 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,” she explained.
“If that's related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
There are no right or wrong answers, but Dr. Chase says doing things that bring you joy is important.
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She recommends writing down ten things that make you happy and intentionally making the time to do those activities throughout the day.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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