‘It’s Not Fair’: Florida News Anchor, 70, Says the Hardest Part of Cancer Isn’t Chemo – It’s the Guilt of Burdening His Family

Hamilton publicly revealed his diagnosis in February 2026, describing it to the Florida Times-Union as “an aggressive and progressive form of cancer,” though he has not shared the exact type. Despite the seriousness, he says his prognosis is good. He chose to go public to help other patients feel less alone during the uneasy early stages of treatment.

“The first day of chemo…You feel a vulnerability like nothing you’ve ever experienced,” he said. “But having somebody you love by your side makes all the difference.”

Still, it’s his family that stays at the center of his thoughts. Hamilton admits that late at night, the guilt of what his diagnosis has put them through keeps him awake.

“Cancer doesn’t just affect you,” he said.

 

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“It has a profound impact on the people you love the most, and that hurts. I have a great deal of guilt that I’ve had to burden my family with this; it’s not fair.”

Hamilton says telling his children was one of the hardest moments. When the love of his life, Christy, learned the news, he saw the devastation on her face. “But she’s been my rock,” Hamilton said. “She’s been great.”

How a Diagnosis Can Impact Loved Ones

Research published in The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine studied the impact of disease on family members. It found, “Most chronic diseases have similar effects on family members, including psychological and emotional functioning, disruption of leisure activities, effect on interpersonal relationships, and financial resources.”

Feelings of “helplessness, lack of control, guilt, anger, embarrassment” are some common emotions parents, siblings, and other relatives within the household of someone battling a health condition may experience, according to researchers.

Other ways a disease, for example, may impact the lives of family members include:

• Affecting sleep
• Concerns about medical treatment
• Altered food choices
• Using religion, spiritual, and cultural beliefs to cope
• Feeling obligated to provide care
• Concerns about understanding the disease or illness
• Needing support from others
• Limited freedom
• Worrying about the death of a loved one

Helping Patients Navigating Chemotherapy

Hamilton admits, chemotherapy sparks feelings of vulnerability, and it’s “like nothing you’ve perhaps ever experienced before.”

Chemotherapy is an effective tool for oncologists to help treat cancer by stopping cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs.

Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, healthy cells are also impacted in the process, leading to side effects.

Patients almost universally experience fatigue, often alongside gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea. Doctors have many effective medications to combat chemo-induced nausea. “But mitigating that fatigue often depends on the patient,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Tips for Navigating Chemo Side Effects

When dealing with fatigue, doctors don’t have an arsenal of weapons to combat fatigue in terms of prescription medications. However, you can do several things to help minimize the hit and restore your energy.

• Exercise: While it may be counterintuitive, physical activity can help alleviate side effects, especially fatigue. “Although ovarian cancer is not common, we often draw upon the experience of patients with breast cancer and colon cancer, who have shown that physical activity can not only improve quality of life but may also have beneficial impacts on cancer outcomes,” Dr. Urban says.
• Eat well: Even though nausea may interfere with your ability to eat a healthy diet, it’s essential to ensure you’re eating appropriately, getting enough protein, and not losing weight. Not only will nourishing your body support your recovery, but it may also help you feel more energized.
• Sleep: Want to mitigate fatigue? Be sure to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle while on treatment. Sticking to a set sleep schedule helps reduce fatigue by ensuring enough hours for your body to heal and restore itself each night. It may also help you recover more quickly by keeping energy levels high during the daytime.

Treating Neuropathy Symptoms

Doctors have several strategies for helping patients deal with this side effect. Once a patient begins experiencing the symptoms of neuropathy, they’ll be carefully monitored to make sure it doesn’t get worse. Before each chemotherapy infusion, the attending oncologist will assess whether the symptoms have progressed. If the symptoms worsen, they may adjust the dose or delay treatment. They may also try switching to another chemotherapy drug.

How to Get a Handle on Nausea

Most of these anti-nausea medications last for more than eight hours. One of the infusions commonly used reduces the degree of nausea for up to three days.

Complementary approaches may also be helpful. A few favorites:

• Ginger: Studies consistently show that ginger helps alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea. The powerful herb appears to have an anti-spasmodic effect on the gut. Not a fan of raw ginger? Suck on ginger candy, sip ginger ale, or make a steaming cup of ginger tea.
• Pressure bracelets: at your local pharmacy, these bracelets provide consistent pressure on a particular acupressure point on the wrist to reduce nausea.
• Deep breathing: Moving air in and out of your lungs with a few deep breaths can help relieve nausea, particularly if you pair deep breathing exercises with meditation. It can also help you relax and release stress and anxiety.

WATCH: Managing chemo side effects.

Coping with Hair Loss

If losing your hair is a concern for you before cancer treatment, know you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and scarves, among other things.

Another option that can minimize hair loss is cryotherapy, “just a fancy way for saying cold therapy,” says Dr. Renata Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Cryotherapy involves wearing cold caps or special cooling caps before, during, and after each chemotherapy treatment

Help Coping With a Cancer Diagnosis

If you are facing a cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.

“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.

WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.

If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.

SurvivorNet experts suggest that women who need a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis.

• Let your family and close friends know, and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support, but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
• Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
• Join a cancer support group. Groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
• Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.

My Health Questions Is Here to Help Patients Navigate Their Journeys

SurvivorNet’s proprietary platform, “My Health Questions,” is grounded in clinical guidelines, backed by medically reviewed research, and supported by leading oncologists nationwide, providing people with clear, trustworthy explanations of their treatment options and helping them feel more confident navigating their care.

“My Health Questions” was built specifically for the realities of cancer care experienced by patients and caregivers, and not as a general‑purpose chatbot.

It handles both complex clinical issues and everyday logistical concerns with accuracy, clarity, and personalization.

Users can create a tailored health profile by entering details such as age, gender, and location, allowing the platform to refine responses over time. This reflects SurvivorNet’s mission: pairing cutting‑edge technology with physician‑driven expertise to make complex medical information accessible and actionable.

Crucially, the tool is doctor‑supported. Leading oncology experts review the information to ensure it is accurate, safe, and easy to understand.

The goal is not to replace clinicians, but to help patients arrive at appointments better prepared with informed questions and a clearer understanding of their care journey.

This combination of AI efficiency and medical oversight is already making a difference.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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