Living His Best LIfe After Cancer
- General Hospital actor Cameron Mathison, 52, had the good fortune of beating kidney cancer in 2019. Now, the husband and father says he is the healthiest he has ever been.
- During an interview with PEOPLE at the 49th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, the soap star talked about his new lease on life, and how he is taking his health more serious these days after his scare.
- The general recommendations for a healthy lifestyle are the same whether you have cancer or not: exercise, fruits, veggies, and maintaining a healthy weight are always a good idea.
During an interview with PEOPLE at the 49th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Los Angeles-based soap star talked about his new lease on life, and how he is taking his health more serious these days after his scare.
Read More“The way that it’s changed, it’s increased my desire and my willingness and my effort and motivation to help others and to spread the word and just to be a benefit,” he said. “I got so much help through my journey, and it’s like, not everybody has that.”
Mathison’s cancer journey began in 2019. In September of that year, he announced his health news. He underwent surgery a week later to have his tumor and part of his kidney removed.
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“Feeling loved and supported by my family and friends, including each and every one of you,” the dad of Lucas, 15 and Leila, 19, shared on socials. “I’ve been very overwhelmed and so grateful for all of the supportive comments and prayers.”
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During his interview, Mathison also opened up about his soap career.
“I’ve been in daytime in different capacities for over 25 years now, from soaps to talk shows to everything in between, so to me, it’s the regular day in, day out,” he said. “That aspect of coming to work every day and getting to know everybody in that way.”
“Sometimes we spend more time with our daytime family that we work with than our real family, so it really is a very, very, very unique situation for you.”
Healthier Habits After Cancer
The general recommendations for a healthy lifestyle are the same whether you have cancer or not.
Bottom line, we can all use a reminder to live our best liveswhich starts with a life of balance.
Dr. Ken Miller, the Director of Outpatient Oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, has some guidelines for cancer survivors who are concerned about a recurrence:
1. Exercise at least two hours a week … walking counts!
2. Eat a low-fat diet. Experts find that a low-fat diet is associated with reduced risk for cancer recurrence.
3. Eat a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. The American Cancer Society recommends aiming for two to three cups of vibrant vegetables and fruits each day.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that being obese can increase your risk for several types of cancer.
Recommendations for a Healthy LifestyleOne Doctor's Advice for Cancer Survivors
Kidney Cancer and Advocating for Your Health
There are two primary types of kidney cancer found in adults: renal cell cancer and transitional cell cancer. Mathison's type of cancer, renal cell carcinoma, occurs when malignant cells form in the tubules of the kidney.
Signs of kidney cancer may include blood in the urine and a lump in the abdomen area. Other symptoms of kidney cancer may be persistent pain, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite and anemia.
It's important to listen to your body and note any changes that may be occurring, so you can seek a physician's care if needed. Remember, too, to always be your own best advocate for your health and physical needs. If you don't get sufficient answers about what's going on in your body, seek a second, or third opinion.
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle
Our expert, Cedars-Sinai's Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon, advises patients to lead each appointment with a plan and to do their own research. He says, "It's important for you to actually educate yourself and be your own health care advocate."
"And that's something that I think is really important," says Dr. Murrell. "You should lead each doctor's appointment with a plan."
"Really be in-tune with your own body, listen to your body, listen to what happens when you eat something and it doesn't feel right, really be in tune with it, because your body could be telling you something. It's saved my life,” Mathison has said in a prior interview with ET.
"I had to fight for an MRI," Mathison shared. "It took me two years to get one, so you've got to really listen to your body. I really believe that."
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