Support Through Cancer
- Brad Arnold, lead singer of American rock band 3 Doors Down, has revealed he’s “doing great” and “feeling a little better” each day with the support from his wife, his faith in God, and the ability to “unplug and recharge.”
- Kidney cancer develops when cells in the kidneys, a pair of bean-shaped organs each about the size of a fist, begin to grow out of control. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. About 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are RCCs.
- Support through life’s challenges, even cancer treatment, can make the world of a difference, whether it’s support from friends, family, spouses, or fellow cancer fighters in a support group.
- Our mental health can affect how we think, feel, and behave. Certain triggers like stress, traumatic events, or change in your physical health can affect mental health. It’s really important to keep tabs on your mental health and, if necessary, seek treatment. Please check out SurvivorNet’s mental health guide for resources to help you on your way.
- 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.
Arnold, who rose to fame with his band through their hit song “Kryptonite,” took to social media this week to offer fans some insight into his health and his incredible support system, just two months after announcing his diagnosis of stage 4 kidney cancer.
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Arnold has been married to his beloved wife Jennifer, a former rodeo champion who won the 2013 AQHA Amateur Barrel Racing World Championship, for more than 15 years.
In addition to the ongoing support his receiving from his wife, Arnold has also chosen to put his faith in God and maintain a positive outlook through his stage 4 cancer battle.
He followed up with another Instagram post, sharing a quote from American monk and writer Thomas Merton, which read, “what am I? I am myself a word spoken by God. can God speak a word that does not have any meaning?”
Arnold then offered his own insight, writing, “We were formed with the same breath indeed with the same force that formed all that we’ve ever known, all that is. We were…..YOU WERE formed with the same attention to detail and individuality that were given to the oceans above and the oceans below.
“Never EVER doubt that YOU have a purpose. Well, what is my purpose you ask…..to worship God. Put God first instead of your feelings, even your well being, and watch God’s purpose for your life spring to life.”
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As for how Arnold is doing, he then insisted, “I’m doin’ great fam! Almost every day, I feel a little better. Things seem to be going great.
“Thank you for every prayer you all have prayed. With so much faith behind me and my own faith within me, I have no doubt of the outcome of this fight. God will continue to fight this batter for me……..and God doesn’t fail. I love y’all!”
We’re glad to hear Arnold is doing well amid cancer, and especially so, that he’s able to do so in a relaxed manner.
In another post, featuring him and his dog on posing on a beach, Arnold wrote, “Unplug=Recharge…….if even for just a second.”
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Brad Arnold’s Kidney Cancer Diagnosis
Arnold announced his stage 4 kidney cancer battle just two months ago, and further shared his faith in God amid this arduous time.
In a video shared on Instagram, Arnold explained, “Hey, everybody, it’s Brad from 3 Doors Down. I hope you’re having a great day today. I’ve got some not-so-good news for you today.
“So, I’d been sick a couple of weeks ago, and then went to the hospital and got checked out and had actually gotten the diagnosis that I had clear cell renal carcinoma that had metastasized into my lung.”
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The Mississippi native continued, “And it’s stage four, and that’s not really good.But you know what? We serve a mighty God, and he can overcome anything.
“So I have no fear. I really, sincerely am not scared of it at all. But it is gonna force us to cancel our tour this summer. And we’re sorry for that.”
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Arnold captioned the post, directed to his fans, “Thank you for all the memories so far. Now, I believe ‘ITS NOT MY TIME’ is really my song.
“This’ll be a battle so we need our prayers warriors! Thank y’all for being the best fans in the world. We love y’all!”
Learning About Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer develops when cells in the kidneys, a pair of bean-shaped organs each about the size of a fist, begin to grow out of control. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. In fact, about 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are RCCs.
According to the National Cancer Institute, 81,610 new cases of kidney cancer are expected across the U.S this year and it’s a disease which can develop in both adults and children.
“The main types of kidney cancer are renal cell cancer, transitional cell cancer, and Wilms tumor,” the institute explains, noting that some “inherited conditions” may increase a person’s risk of getting the disease.
Luckily, advancement in kidney cancer treatment has proven effective for people battling the disease.
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The institute states, “NCI-funded researchers are working to advance our understanding of how to detect and treat kidney cancer. Much progress has been made over the last few decades, especially in identifying genes that can drive the development of kidney cancer.
“This knowledge has led to more effective treatments. Today, about 75% of people with kidney cancer will be alive 5 years after diagnosis.”
As for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the disease, it “is the most common malignant tumor of the kidney and constitutes over 90 percent of all renal malignancies.”
Here are some signs of kidney cancer to look out for:
- Blood in the urine (hematuria)
- Low back pain on one side (not caused by injury)
- A mass (lump) on the side or lower back
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss not caused by dieting
- Fever that is not caused by an infection and doesn’t go away
- Anemia (low red blood cell counts)
According to the National Cancer Institute, the following types of treatment are used for someone battling renal cell carcinoma:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials
According to UCLA Health, kidney cancer can metastasize, or spread, to any part of the body through the blood or lymphatic system. When that happens, the first signs of cancer may not be specific to your kidneys.
Symptoms of metastatic kidney cancer may cause symptoms in the newly affected areas of the body including:
- The lungs, causing cough and shortness of breath
- The bones, resulting in bone pain or fracture
- The brain, presenting as headaches, confusion or seizures
That being said, all of these signs don’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Still, you should always bring up any changes to your health with your doctors.
“Traditionally, kidney cancer was diagnosed in people coming in with blood in the urine, a mass (in the) belly that was big enough that you could feel, or pain on that side,” Dr. Geoffrey Sonn, a urologic oncologist with Stanford Hospital and Clinics, previously told SurvivorNet.
“More recently because of the great increase in the use of imaging with ultrasound, CAT scans, MRI most kidney cancers (are) diagnosed incidentally, meaning a scan is done for another reason,” he added.
Dr. Sonn said that doctors finding a mass seen on imaging done for another reason is “the most common presentation” of the disease. Some patients without symptoms might discover their cancer through scans done for unrelated reasons, and other might discover the cancer after a scan to investigate abdominal pain.
Either way, it’s important to stay up-to-date on check ups and speak with your doctors about any possible signs of something being wrong.
“For localized kidney cancer, for relatively small masses that have not metastasized, most often patients feel nothing, and this is found on a scan done for another reason,” he explained.
“For larger masses of the kidney they may have pain on that side, they may see blood in the urine or a routine urine test may show a microscopic amount of blood in the urine that’s not enough to be seen visually but still will prompt further testing with imaging that shows the kidney cancer.”
Power of Support
A support system, like how Brad Arnold, can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. It can also be comprised of strangers who have come together because of a shared cancer experience. Mental health professionals can also be critical parts of a support system.
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“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friend’s circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet.
“But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional,” Dr. Plutchik added.
Dr. Plutchik also stressed it is important for people supporting cancer warriors to understand their emotions can vary day-to-day.
“People can have a range of emotions, they can include fear, anger, and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process,” Dr. Plutchik said.
Meanwhile, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin says people faced with cancer should “surround [themselves] with individuals who care and support [them]” throughout treatment while also acknowledging their limits on what they can handle.
“Going through [cancer] treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” Dr. Strongin wrote in a column for SurvivorNet. “Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”
If you’re ever in a relationship where you feel overwhelmed by how your partner is trying to support you, Dr. Strongin says you should try to communicate your feelings. This may help you decide if your partner is the person you want beside you “during this arduous chapter” of life.
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.
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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.
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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.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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