'Teen Mom' Spends Time with Dad After Cancer Loss
- ‘Teen Mom’ star Makenzie McKee, 26, recently spent time with her dad after losing her mom, Angie Douthit, to brain cancer.
- Brain cancer treatment options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
- Coping with the loss of a parent to cancer can be helped with formal support, such as therapy and support groups.
View this post on Instagram
It’s clear that McKee is relishing these special moments with her dad. Last week, she captured some adorable footage of dancing with her dad, writing, “Dad "so what's Tikoty Tok, and why are we doing this".
View this post on Instagram
Brain Cancer Treatment Options
Douthit had radiation to treat her brain cancer, and towards the end of her life, she opted for hospice care. Brain cancer treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and in some cases, newer treatment options like Optune.
Related: What Are Tumor Treating Fields For Cancer Treatment?
Optune is a tumor-treating therapy and is only available for patients aged 22 or older. The treatment was approved by the FDA in 2015, and it's administered by a cap being placed on a person's head through which electric currents run through adhesive pads on the cap. The current interrupts the division of cancer cells, which may slow down or delay the disease's progression.
Douthit shared her treatment journey on social media. Towards the end of her life, she was transparent about the difficulty she faced with stage four cancer. "Today was a little rough," she wrote on Instagram. "Scans showed results that were not good. The cancer has grown in the liver and in the brain."
Could a New Treatment Have Saved John McCain? Fighting Brain Cancer With Electric Fields
Coping with the Loss of a Parent to Cancer
Losing a parent to brain cancer or any type of cancer takes its toll, initially. Coping with the loss of a loved one can be helped with resources like therapy and support groups.
When Camila Legaspi lost her mom to breast cancer, she was only in high school. She found therapy to be tremendously helpful in allowing her to process her emotions in a safe space and keep things in perspective. In an earlier interview, she says, "Therapy saved my life. I was dealing with some really intense anxiety and depression at that point. It just changed my life, because I was so drained by all the negativity that was going on."
"Going to a therapist,” says Legaspi, “helped me realize that there was still so much out there for me, that I still had my family, that I still had my siblings. The reality is, is when you lose someone, it's really, really, really hard. And it's totally OK to talk to someone. And I'm so happy that I talked to my therapist. Keep your chin up, and it's going to be OK. No matter what happens, it's going to be OK."
"Therapy Saved My Life": After Losing A Loved One, Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.