National Dog Day & Cancer Fighters
- August 26 is the day we celebrate our beloved furry friends; it’s National Dog Day!
- Dogs help many cancer fighters and survivors, especially with fighting anxiety and depression.
- For more severe cases of anxiety and depression, speak to a psychologist; mental health issues like depression can negatively impact some cancer treatments, and make them less effective prioritize your mental health through the cancer journey.
And while many people may not think of health matters on this holiday, there’s a link between dogs and wellness and that’s true for cancer patients and cancer survivors, too. Anecdotal evidence shows that dogs can help improve the mood of people fighting health battles.
Dogs See Their Owners Through Cancer
For some celebrities and well-known names, like Andrea Swift (Taylor Swift’s mom) and actress Shannen Doherty, dogs have been hugely impactful for them as they go through cancer treatment. Doherty, who has metastatic breast cancer, loves her dog Bowie and often shares adorable pictures of him on social media.
View this post on Instagram
When Andrea Swift was diagnosed with breast cancer, she decided to get a “cancer dog.” Her diagnosis led her to pursue her dreams of getting a dog. And now she has a Great Dane called Kitty. For many people, a cancer diagnosis can put priorities and desires, like getting a dog into sharper focus.
Good night to Taylor Swift & Kitty only ? pic.twitter.com/TUZJBi2D8t
— veronica (@soitfuckingoes) April 27, 2018
In the Netflix documentary Taylor Swift: Miss Americana about the pop singer, Andrea and Kitty make an appearance. In the film, Andrea says, “She's actually my cancer dog. After I found that out, I decided to do something I'd always wanted to do which is get a really big dog.”
Jane Kopelman is the head of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Caring Canines Program. And, in an earlier interview, she explains the benefits of pet therapy. She says, “What most patients say, and studies have proven, is that the dogs reduce anxiety, reduce depression.”
“And they give people a sense of hopethey often motivate people," Kopelman says. "Patients have said that they were so eager to have the dogs come that it motivated them to get up."
Kopelman says, "The biggest benefit is [the patients] feel less anxious, they feel calmer, and they're able to go through what is a very stressful experience."
What Are the Benefits of Pet Therapy?
Medical Options for Coping with Anxiety & Depression
While our four-legged friends can do wonders for our mental health, sometimes, more serious steps need to be taken to combat more severe cases of anxiety and depression. Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are perfectly normal, and help is available.
People diagnosed with cancer may find that they experience things like anger, grief, and even serious instances of depression. It’s important to treat your mental health issues, as it can impact your physical health, too. For cancer treatment to be most effective, tend to your mental health as well.
In an earlier interview, Dr. Scott Irwin explains this link, saying, “Depression and stress make it harder to treat cancer, make it harder to tolerate the treatments.”
“Actually, there’s data that if you have extra stress or depression that you may not recover or you have a higher risk of recurrence, so that in treating the depression, we’re actually impacting the cancer care outcomes,” he says.
Treating Depression After a Cancer Diagnosis
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
