Coping With a Loved One's Cancer Diagnosis
- Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift reportedly offered support and comfort as her dad Scott Kingsley Swift recently underwent complex heart surgery at age 73.
- Swift’s mom battled breast cancer twice, and also a brain tumor, while her dad reportedly had surgery after getting a prostate cancer diagnosis.
- Seeing Swifts continuous support for her parents, reminds us about the important role of caregivers. Being a caregiver is a complex and rewarding job. And taking a step back from the role from time to time might just help you give the best care possible.
- To avoid caregiver burnout — the stress, anger, fatigue and illness that can result from putting another person’s needs above your own — our experts recommend taking time for yourself. Research suggests caregivers who take good care of themselves as well can provide the best quality of care.
- For more resources on support for caregivers, sign up for SurvivorNet’s caregivers guide.
Swift’s dad underwent a quintuple bypass, a type of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery that helps improve blood flow by creating new paths around five blocked or narrowed arteries in the heart, last month, according to TMZ.
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A coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), which Swift’s dad underwent, is a type of surgery that allows surgeons to create new passageways for blood flow to the heart muscle through grafting healthy blood vessels from other areas of the body. Through this type of surgery, oxygenation to the heart muscle is improved and assists in preventing heart attacks.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, a coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), which is the narrowing of the coronary arteries, blood vessels which supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle.
“Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is done to treat a blockage or narrowing of 1 or more of the coronary arteries. It can restore the blood supply to your heart muscle when nonsurgical procedures are not a choice,” John Hopkins Medicine explains.
Possible symptoms of coronary artery disease include:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue (severe tiredness)
- Palpitations
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling in the hands and feet
- Indigestion
“You may not have any symptoms in early coronary artery disease. But the disease will continue to progress until there’s enough artery blockage to cause symptoms and problems,” John Hopkins Medicine adds.
“If the blood supply to your heart muscle continues to decrease as a result of increasing blockage of a coronary artery, you may have a heart attack. If the blood flow can’t be restored to the part of the heart muscle affected, the tissue dies.”
The American Heart Association (AHA) warns anyone experiencing signs of a heart attack to be weary of your symptoms and call 911 if you feel chest discomfort, discomfort in areas of the upper body, shortness of breath, and possibly lightheadedness or nausea.
It’s heartwarming to see Swift offering such strong support to her dad, especially after everything her family has been through with her mom’s breast cancer battles.
Swift witnessed her mother battle breast cancer twice and face a brain tumor during chemotherapy, while her father reportedly overcame prostate cancer.
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Despite these past health challenges, her mom and dad both appear to be enjoying life. Last November, Swift was seen alongside her parents at a football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos in Kansas City, Missouri.
The star’s parents were also seen at Wembley Stadium, cheering on their daughter during the final leg of her Eras Tour in Europe.
In an earlier interview with Elle Magazine, Swift said, “I’ve had to learn how to handle serious illness in my family.”
Writing in a personal essay to Elle about the 30 lessons she’s learned before turning 30, she explained, “Both of my parents have had cancer, and my mom is now fighting her battle with it again.
“It’s taught me that there are real problems and then there’s everything else. My mom’s cancer is a real problem.”
She explained further, “I used to be so anxious about daily ups and downs. I give all of my worry, stress, and prayers to real problems now.”
Although Swift has confirmed her mom’s health struggles, she hasn’t gone public on the specifics of her dad’s cancer battle. However she did acknowledge that “both” her parents battled cancer to Elle.
One report shared on YouTube, claimed that a leaked email from Swift’s dad to the singer’s old manager shared he had his prostate “sucked out of my body” during a robotic surgery following his diagnosis.
As for when her mom was first diagnosed with cancer, Swift took to Tumblr in April 2015 to explained what was going on, writing, “Hey Guys, I’m writing to you with an update I wish I wasn’t giving you, but it’s important and I’m used to sharing important events in my life with you.
“Usually when things happen to me, I process them and then write music about how I feel, and you hear it much later. This is something my family and I thought you should know about now.”
She continued, according to People, “For Christmas this year, I asked my mom that one of her gifts to me be her going to the doctor to get screened for any health issues, just to ease some worries of mine. She agreed, and went in to get checked. There were no red flags and she felt perfectly fine, but she did it just to get me and my brother off her case about it.
“The results came in, and I’m saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer. I’d like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know.”
Swift ultimately said that her mom hoped her store would inspire other busy parents to make time for getting checked and going to annual doctor’s visits as it could lead to an early diagnosis and probably save a life.
Andrea Swift’s Battles with Cancer
Andrea Swift, who became a two-time cancer survivor after her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 and then again in 2019. She also dealt with a brain tumor doctors discovered while she was undergoing chemotherapy.
After sharing her mom’s diagnosis on social media with her fans, Taylor noted that her mom “may not be at as many shows” to focus on her cancer treatment, entertainment media outlet Distractify reports.
“The symptoms of what a person goes through when they have a brain tumor is nothing like what we’ve ever been through with her cancer before. So it’s just been a really hard time for us as a family,” Taylor Swift told Variety in an earlier interview.
She also said at the time, “I mean, we don’t know what is going to happen. We don’t know what treatment we’re going to choose. It just was the decision to make at the time, for right now, for what’s going on.’
The specifics about Andrea’s breast cancer and the status of her ongoing treatment remain unknown, but one thing is for sure — she’s not letting her previous cancer diagnoses prevent her from taking part in their daughter’s eventful life.
Although the “Anti-Hero” singer hasn’t revealed explicit details about her mom’s diagnosis, it’s important to understand that metastatic breast cancer often presents as a recurrence of a prior early-stage breast cancer, although it can be a new diagnosis.
Back in 2015, the year Andrea was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Taylor’s mom presented her daughter with The Milestone Award at The Academy of Country Music Awards.
“I’ve watched this milestone artist from the time she was a tangled hair little girl growing up on our farm, full of imagination and creativity,” Andrea told the crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in what was her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis. “And ever since then, her favorite thing in the world to do has been to write a song, tell a story, play a guitar, or a piano,” Andrea said. “And I’ve seen those things carry her through every emotion, every experience in her life. Good or bad.”
She continued, “Every once in a while, her dad or I find ourselves to be the subject of those songs. Sometimes we’re merely the inspiration. Like the time she was 17 years old and her dad and I strongly disapproved of a young man, and rightfully so. But she was mad, she was real mad, and she went to her room and she closed the door. She came out about an hour later with a song called ‘Love Story.’”
RELATED: Taylor Swift Honors Her Parents in Amazing Speech as Her Mom Deals with Cancer Recurrence
Taylor’s parents have played a significant role in her journey to success, and she often makes a point to acknowledge her mother’s impact. When her mom was battling breast cancer, Taylor wrote a heartfelt song called “The Best Day” as a tribute. One of the most touching lines from the lyrics is: “…And I love you for giving me your eyes. Staying back and watching me shine…”
Another song dedicated to Andrea includes, “Soon You’ll Get Better.”
During the Global Citizen “One World: Together at Home” concert in 2020, Taylor opened up to the audience, saying, “That’s a song I don’t know if I’ll ever perform live. It’s just really emotional for me. Writing it was hard, singing it is hard, and even listening to it is difficult,” CNN reported.
Coping With a Loved One’s Cancer Diagnosis: Prioritizing Your Mental Health
When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer and you suddenly find yourself filling the role of a caregiver, the lifestyle change can be jarring. Caregivers are often spouses, partners, adult children, parents, or trusted friends of the person living with cancer. Although Swift did not take on a caregiver type role, she did support her parents through their health struggles.
It’s important to remember that many people welcome the role of caregiver and the opportunity to help out someone they care about deeply, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Filling a caregiver role can be extremely stressful and caregivers often neglect their own needs, which can create a host of additional problems.
RELATED: Check Out SurvivorNet’s Resources on Mental Health
So what can caregivers do to make sure they are healthy, both mentally and physically, as well? We spoke to doctors, patient advocates, spiritual leaders, and caregivers who have been through cancer with someone they love dearly to round up some of the best advice.
And if you need help with finances, we provide resources you can consider to cope with the cancer bills. If your loved one has just been diagnosed and you are just starting your journey as a caregiver, here are the first steps you should take.
Caregiving Isn’t Easy — Recognize That You May Need Help
When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer or another type of health condition, it can turn your world upside down. Your attention will suddenly turn from your job and family to caregiving. And no matter how much you plan for your new role, the enormity of it can take you by surprise.
“Caregiving is a huge job. It’s going to impact your health and your physical well-being. It will impact your finances, your social life, your emotions, and your mental energy,” Amy Brown, nurse manager of Gynecologic/Oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, previously shared with SurvivorNet.
With caregiving taking up a lot of your personal time away from work, school or other life duties, it’s important to realize that you may need help.
“I learned this the hard way myself,” Brown said. “I have been the caregiver to my dad for 12 years. And I’m a nurse and I’m designed and equipped to handle that, and I tried to do it myself and failed miserably.”
Brown stresses the importance of caring for yourself while you care for your loved one. In order to fully take care of someone, you need to feel your best.
Feeling fatigued or stressed at times can lead to bigger issues that could impact you, and that’s why it’s so important to not only prioritize your mental health, but also your physical health as well.
That’s why, if you start to feel the physical toll of being a caregiver, it’s so important to take some time to relax or even visit the doctor if things progress.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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