Faith & Persistence Through Cancer
- Jeff Bridges, a survivor of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and star of “The Big Lebowski,” is looking back on the life philosophies he leaned on during serious health struggles in an upcoming issue of A Rabbit’s Foot magazine. The actor, who also battled COVID-19 during treatment, reflects on facing “death’s door” and finding strength in spirituality and perspective.
- A study published in Cancer includes data that found “69% of cancer patients reported praying for their health” compared to “only 45% of the general U.S. population.”
- New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans previously spoke with SurvivorNet about how faith can help people cope with the complex emotions that come with cancer.
- “It’s important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you’ve never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,’” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet.
- SurvivorNetTV presents ‘Turning to Faith,’ an episode from our original series SN & You that depicts cancer survivors’ journeys and the role faith plays in their lives.
The 75-year-old dad of three, and loving husband to producer and photographer Susan Geston, will be featured in the 14th issue of A Rabbit’s Foot Magazine, which is available for pre-order now.
Read MoreNon-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Overview
After previously being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Jeff Bridges was declared in remission in September 2021 following chemotherapy. During that same period, he also contracted COVID-19, which led to a prolonged hospital stay because his immune system was weakened by treatment.
We look forward to the upcoming issue from A Rabbit’s Foot to hear more about Bridges’ perspective on life and the lessons he’s drawn from navigating these serious health challenges.
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According to A Rabbit’s Foot, the new issue, which will be shipping worldwide on March 14, features Jeff Bridges, Ottessa Moshfegh, Alana Haim, Charles Burnett and Boots Riley.
The issue, titled, “Welcome to California,” is described by Finch as, “In this, our 14th issue, we celebrate a lesser-known side of California—a soulful and sometimes urban California. Within this land of great physical beauty and wildness, which has inspired dreamers and searchers looking to shape their own narratives for over two centuries, lie raw cityscapes and hidden valleys housing residents whose longing for success has often been compromised by the harsh realities of survival in one of the most competitive societies on the planet.
“These Californians have, through adversity and ingenuity, found their own voice and culture. It is this culture we explore here.”
He explains that the subject of “film” will certainly be spoken of.
“This time we have chosen a few prominent, native Californian rule-breakers, whose work in film blends the artistic and the original with the commercial, and in the mix create great cinema. For this reason we profile Jeff Bridges, Michael B Jordan and Kathryn Bigelow, all of whom have carved their own paths in the world of storytelling while retaining their unique West Coast sensibilities,” Finch adds.
In a video preview of the interviews, Bridges is also seen commenting on surfing in California, saying, “Sure, it was a whole, you know, lifestyle, and we all got swept up in it.
“Kind of, it’s one of those things you had to be there to really experience.”
As for his three words to describe California, Bridges said, “Here you go,” insisting that it’s “such a place of opportunity.”
Jeff Bridges’ Cancer Battle
Jeff Bridges was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 and started chemotherapy treatment right away. He first went public with his cancer diagnosis on social media in October 2020, saying, “I have a great team of doctors, and the prognosis is good.”
He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma—a cancer affecting lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell integral to the immune system—shortly after the production of “The Old Man” was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bridges, who also battled COVID-19 during his cancer treatment, underwent chemotherapy and ultimately became cancer-free after his tumor decreased in size.
By September 2021, the actor revealed on his blog that his lymphoma had entered remission.
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“The 9″ x 12” mass has shrunk down to the size of a marble,” Bridges wrote. “Covid kicked my ass pretty good, but I’m double vaccinated and feeling much better now.”
Although Bridges hasn’t personally specified which type of lymphoma he was diagnosed with, AARP noted that his cancer was, in fact, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system.
While cancer treatment was going well, he was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in January 2021, and due to his cancer treatment having weakened his immune system, Bridges wound up spending months in the hospital.
According to AARP, Bridges’ cancer went into remission quickly after he was put through chemotherapy infusion, which was followed by an oral chemo protocol.
He dubbed his wife as being his “absolute champion” as she stayed by Bridges’ side as he recovered from covid in the hospital. “She really fought to keep me off a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want that. But Sue was adamant,” he told the news outlet.
He was ultimately treated with a blood plasma called “convalescent plasma,” which consists of viral antibodies.
Despite his struggle, like so many cancer survivors, Bridges was left with a renewed appreciation for life.
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“I’ll be honest. I didn’t know if I was going to make it,” he told Esquire in an earlier interview. “I was on death’s door there for a while in the hospital. When I finally went back to work, after a two-year hiatus, it was the most bizarre kind of thing. It felt like a dream.”
“I came back after all that time, and saw the same faces [while shooting ‘The Old Man’], the same cast and crew,” he added. “It was like we had a long weekend. I gathered everyone and I said, ‘I had the most bizarre dream, you guys.’ I was sick and out, but all that feels like a gray mush now.”
What is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which has a few different subtypes, starts in a type of white blood cell known as the lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system. Once a diagnosis is received, a doctor must determine whether the cancer is indolent (slow-growing) or aggressive, and if the lymphocytes being affected are B-cells or T-cells. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. And the types of treatment needed are dependent on the type of subtype a patient has.
“For patients with indolent lymphomas, sometimes patients may not require therapy at the time of diagnosis, if they’re asymptomatic or have a low burden of disease, whereas patients with more aggressive lymphoma would require initiation of treatment,” Dr. Jennifer Crombie, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
Dr. Crombie noted that when a patient is diagnosed with an aggressive type of lymphoma, “we do treat patients with chemotherapy.
“That’s the standard of care and our most common regimen that we use for patients is something called R-CHOP,” she continued.
Dr. Nina Shah Explains How Blood Cancer Is Different Than Other Types Of Cancers
Treatment Options for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer of your immune system. It starts in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels, ducts, and nodes that run throughout your body.
This system drains excess fluid and waste from your tissues and drains them into your bloodstream. It also produces disease-fighting white blood cells called lymphocytes that defend your body against infections.
“I always advise that people understand their specific type of lymphoma because there are over 40 different types,” Dr. Elise Chong, medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet.
Lymphoma starts when lymphocytes develop a genetic mutation that makes them multiply much faster than usual. The mutation also makes older cells that would normally die stay alive. The quickly multiplying lymphocytes start to collect and build up in your lymph nodes, the small glands in your neck, armpits, and other parts of your body.
“At the beginning of a conversation with a patient, we have to talk about exactly which type of lymphoma they have,” Dr. Lawrence Piro told SurvivorNet.
“There are some lymphomas that are very treatable, but not curable,” Dr. Piro added.
“On the contrary, there are some lymphomas that, if you don’t treat them, they’ll progress rapidly, and you may succumb to it, yet there are very intensive treatments that you can take that may cure you,” he adds. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is an example of an aggressive but treatable cancer.
There are no screening tests for lymphomas and symptoms can be hard to identify so doctors typically perform a biopsy on a lymph node to accurately determine if non-Hodgkin lymphoma exists. However, some common symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:
- Swollen glands
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
The Power of Faith
For some people like Bridges, turning to faith can be a great way to keep spirits high when cancer starts taking an emotional and/or physical toll.
New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans previously spoke with SurvivorNet about the importance of find ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a cancer diagnosis.
“It’s important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you’ve never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,’” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet.
“You can reach out to God and you can reach out to people, your friends and family and say, ‘I can’t do this on my own. I need you,'” he explained further.
“It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can actually find something deeper that we never would’ve encountered without this hardship.”
WATCH: Faith Perspective Opening Yourself Up to Others After a Cancer Diagnosis
A study published in “Cancer” includes data that found “69% of cancer patients reported praying for their health” compared to “only 45% of the general U.S. population.”
Cancer psychologist Dr. Andrew Kneier helped co-author “Coping with Cancer: Ten Steps toward Emotional Well-Being.” He also co-authored a column published by Stanford Medicine with Rabbi Jeffery M. Silberman, director of spiritual care at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut.
The two add more context to the impact faith has on cancer patients.
“A person’s faith or spirituality provides a means for coping with illness and reaching a deeper kind of inner healing,” Kneier and Silberman said.
“Coping means different things to different people: it can involve finding answers to the questions that illness raises, it can mean seeking comfort for the fears and pain that illness brings, and it can mean learning how to find a sense of direction at a time of illness. Religious teachings can help a person cope in all of these dimensions,” Kneier and Silberman continued.
WATCH: Three-time cancer survivor shares how her faith helped her during cancer.
Finding Vitality and the ‘Pathway’ to Resilience
Psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman suggests that people working on their mental health practice positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on encouraging patients to feel positive and finding what brings a sense of vitality to their lives.
Dr. Boardman explains them as “pathways to embrace your everyday resilience.” In other words, these are tools people who may be struggling with mental health issues can embrace to help maintain a certain sense of positivity. And those positive feelings can go a long way when people are facing a health challenge like a cancer diagnosis.
Understanding the Three Wellsprings of Vitality
According to Dr. Boardman, these three wellsprings of vitality are:
- Connecting. This involves how you’re connecting with others and having meaningful interactions. It involves being a good listener and being engaged with the people around you who you care about.
- Contribution. How are you adding value to the people around you? Are you helping them in ways that feel meaningful to them? This entails contributing/engaging with others in a meaningful way.
- Feeling challenged. Being “positively challenged” could involve learning something new (perhaps by taking a new class or reading an interesting book) and expanding your mind in some way.
“Those are the cores of vitality and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman said.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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