The Power of Support & Prayer Through Cancer
- News anchor Mark Spain, who has been working for WSET ABC 13 for nearly 10 years, was diagnosed with cancer on Nov. 27. It’s unclear what type of cancer he’s battling or what his treatment plan will be, but he is certainly embarking this arduous journey with an incredibly support system—from his wife, his son, coworkers, community of fans, and most importantly … faith.
- 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.
- Assuming the role of a cancer caregiver when a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend is diagnosed with cancer comes with a unique set of responsibilities. The first thing to understand is that there is no shame in asking for help. This can be an overwhelming time for patients and their caregivers.
- SurvivorNet has a helpful guide for cancer caregivers that you can check out HERE.
The Northeast Ohio-native’s wife took to Facebook this week to tell his followers about his diagnosis. She wrote, “Good morning sunshines! This is Mark’s wife Lynita. It has been an interesting last few days to say the least. I am so appreciative and grateful for the well wishes and prayers for Mark.
Read More
She continued, in her post shared on Dec. 2, “It was definitely not the news we were expecting to hear. We are waiting for results to find out what type of cancer it is.
“What I ask of you at this time is to please pray for our family, for strength, courage and healing as well as sending positive vibes our way. The power of prayer is amazing and I know we can count on you! Thank you Lynchburg. Best regards, Lynita Spain.”
RELATED: “I Had A Talk With God And I Knew I’d Be Okay”
Expert Resources On Caregiving
- Caregiving: An Opportunity for Healing
- Caregiving Isn’t Easy; Recognize That You May Need Help
- “Be Proud Of What You’re Doing” — Justine Almada’s Ode to Cancer Caregivers
- ‘A Sacred and Blessed Calling’ – Managing Life As a Caregiver
- SurvivorNetTV Presents: Care to Laugh — A Comedian & Cancer Caregiver’s Quest To Make People Smile
- Patrick Dempsey’s Advice to Cancer Caregivers: Take Care of Yourself, Too
- Where Cancer Caregivers Can Get Help With Finances: Coping With the Bills
Mark, a graduate of Cleveland State University, was praised with love and support in the comments section of the post, with one person writing, “Praying for you all! Our community loves you all and we will be here to support you all along the way!!”
Another supporter wrote, “So sorry to hear this! Mark is such a mentor to so many and shares so much positivity. Praying for you Mark! Stay strong.”
“Praying for you all. Mark, you’ve been such a mentor to me since the day I started here. I owe you so much and I’m forever grateful. Praying for the whole family during this tough time,” commented a fellow news anchor.
RELATED: Faith Perspective: Opening Yourself Up to Others After a Cancer Diagnosis
A fourth social media user wrote, “Continued Prayers For You, Mark And Max In This Trial. Our God Is A Healer In The Midst Of All Troubles. We Must Hold On To Our Faith.”
“You have a beautiful wife, a handsome son, wonderful co-workers, and one of the best jobs ever! You have a lot to be thankful for!! And we are thankful for you and all that you do for our community,” a fifth person commented.
“Take care of yourself! We all need you!”
Mark’s wife’s cancer announcement comes about one week after he initially took to Facebook to inform his fans that he “hasn’t been feeling the best” and had gone to the hospital emergency room and was getting ready for an ultrasound.
A followup post, from Nov. 27th, read, “Hi friends! I’ve been pricked, prodded, drained and more. I will share more when I know more.
“Suffice it to say this is not what I was hoping for this holiday. I’m more comfortable than I have been the past few weeks so that’s good. Anyway, thank for your prayers and concern.”
He concluded, “God knew what he was doing when he connected us to this beautiful community. Blessings!”
We’re happy to see Mark is maintaining a positive attitude and keeping his faith throughout this difficult time, something many patients can look up to when starting on a health journey.
View this post on Instagram
Power of Support
If you were recently diagnosed with cancer, you likely know about the wide range of emotions that news can bring. This is one of the most challenging phases of the cancer journey to overcome.
However, a team of supporters can be most useful during these early stages. Your supporters can be close family members and friends or people from outside your inner circle.
WATCH: Sharing details about your cancer diagnosis.
“Some people don’t need to go outside their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” New York-based psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet.
“But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional,” she added.
One benefit of having supporters is that they can help alleviate stress and anxiety following your diagnosis and advocate for you during treatment.
Sometimes, it is not always easy to share news you have cancer, even among loved ones. In such instances, you can seek a trained professional to center your support group around. Mental health professionals can help fill this space because many are trained to help you navigate your cancer treatment.
“Make sure that the mental health professional that you work with is reaching out with your consent to the rest of your team, to the oncologist, to the surgeon, it can also be helpful to reach out to family, friends, and any other caretakers that may be involved in the person’s treatment,” Dr. Plutchik said.
Dr. Plutchki recommends cancer patients consider the following three steps to get the help they need after a diagnosis:
- Step #1: Seek additional support if you need it (this could mean speaking to a mental health professional or seeking out a support group)
- Step #2: Look for a mental health professional with experience helping people in your situation.
- Step #3: Keep your care team connected. This may include your friends and loved ones, your therapist, and the doctors who are treating your cancer.
Why Faith Offers Cancer Patients Hope
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: A Sacred and Blessed Calling
New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans tells SurvivorNet about the importance of finding ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a challenging health diagnosis, such as 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.
“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.’ “It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can find something deeper that we never would’ve encountered without this hardship,” Evans continued.
Guidance for Cancer Caregivers
It’s unclear what type of cancer Spain has been diagnosed or what his treatment plan will entail, but it’s important to understand that assuming the role of a cancer caregiver when a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend is diagnosed with cancer comes with a unique set of responsibilities.
The first thing to know is that there is no shame is asking for help. This can be an overwhelming time for both patients and their caregivers, too.
Julie Bulger gives some tips on how caregivers can care for themselves.
Through interviews with expert oncologists, social workers, patients advocates, and more, we’ve come up with a checklist of helpful steps cancer caregivers can take throughout the journey.
Cancer caregivers may:
- Attend doctor visits with the patient
- Help the patient take notes/ask questions
- Provide transportation to and from treatment
- Accompany the patient during treatment
- Help keep track of side effects
- Link up with a social worker/patient navigator
- Help with day-to-day activities
- Provide emotional support
“I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations — what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.,” Dr. Jayanthi Lea, gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “The work is extremely hard.”
Dr. Jayanthi Lea, gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, shares some guidance for new cancer caregivers
Caregivers should be willing to share what they’ve learned while caring for their loved one day to day, letting the doctor know about any side effects or other problems that arise. They also need to be willing to take a backseat sometimes.
“Step back a little bit and let the patient speak for themselves. Let them express what they are feeling,” Dr. Lea added to SurvivorNet. “That is so important for the patient’s overall quality of life and wellbeing.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
