In Emotional Podcast, Reporter Maria Menounos' Tells Fans Her Parents, Including Mom with Brain Cancer, Hospitalized with COVID-19: "We Still Need Prayers"

Menounos’ mother Litsa, 65, has been battling glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, since 2016. Maria learned that her mother’s tumor was growing in late November, prompting her to take several weeks off to care for her.

Related: Two People With Cancer Got COVID-19 After Visits From Asymptomatic Carriers; How to Keep Loved Ones Safe During This Uncertain Time

But through this scary time, Maria isn’t letting fear overwhelm her, refusing to feel “helpless” and focusing on the best case scenario.

What Cancer Patients Need to Know About COVID-19

People like Litsa who have undergone chemotherapy or immunotherapy face a much higher risk of death if they contract COVID-19. For those who received these therapies in the three months before getting sick, the mortality rate can spike up to 50%.

Related: COVID-19 Can Be Very Bad For Cancer Patients Who've Just Completed Certain Types Of Treatments, Says New Study

"It is not surprising that a patient on chemotherapy may do worse when they get sick," Dr. Heather Yeo, a colon and rectal surgeon at Weill Cornell Medical Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "Chemotherapy in general lowers the body's immune system and puts people at risk for other infections."

But fear of the coronavirus should not prevent anyone from seeking treatment for cancer, especially given the great lengths doctors take to minimize the risk of virus transmission.

"Whether or not you can delay depends very much on the type of treatment and the risk-benefit ratio," Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon, a medical oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview.  "Some treatment, like preventive chemotherapy, has a grace period, so it might be worth discussing a delay. Other treatments should not be put off."

Consult with your medical team and stick to the best plan of treatment to ensure you can beat cancer while staying safe.

It's Important To Continue Cancer Screenings Through COVID-19

For those who have not been diagnosed with cancer, it’s imperative to continue regularly-scheduled screenings, as the earlier cancer is caught, the better the prognosis for recovery will be.

Related: Too Many Americans Skip Life-Saving Cancer Screenings Due To COVID-19; Make Sure You Aren't One of Them

While it’s understandable that some may be afraid of contracting COVID-19 if they venture out to get screened, the potentially life-saving benefits of screenings, combined with the medical community’s careful measures to prevent disease spread, should encourage everyone to continue their plan to remain vigilant against cancer.

Fighting Fear with Faith & Hope

Maria says she was terrified when she learned her parents had been hospitalized refused to let fear consume her. Having a positive outlook is critical to the battle against cancer, whether it be your own or of someone you love.

Related: 7 Cancer Survivors and Thrivers Tell Us How They Keep a Positive Attitude

“I've kept focusing on what my desired outcome and not what my fear was, and that helped me a lot.”

Maria shows that hope is a powerful weapon in the fight against cancer, a message that hundreds of survivors have told SurvivorNet.

Maria also called for prayer to help her parents through their COVID fight and her mother through her cancer battle. Millions of people just like her have found that faith helps them stay positive in the face of daunting medical challenges and inspires them to fight on.

Related: 7 Cancer Survivors Share How Gratitude, Faith, & Seeking the Good In Life Help Give Them Strength

Peggy Bell, an ovarian cancer survivor, leaned on her faith in staying calm and positive about the future through her battle, always confident she was in God's hands.

Related: "My Faith Has Been Very Important" Louisville Ovarian Cancer Survivor Monica Layton's Story

"God is always in control so I'm not going to worry or stress about events that we can't impact and always stay prayerful," Bell told SurvivorNet in a previous interview.

In dealing with fear about the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Marianna Strongin, a clinical psychologist and founder of Strong In Therapy Psychology, told survivors that they’ve already shown their resilience through bravery against cancer and that they can conquer this challenge too.

Dr. Marianna Strongin shares helpful tips for cancer patients on how to manage COVID-19 anxiety

 

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