Many cancer survivors are happiest when they’re with their families. But few show as much joy than former soap opera star Cameron Mathison, who seems to light up inside. The actor, 50, who most recently starred on Hallmark Channel's "The Christmas Club,” and who had major surgery for a cancerous tumor on his kidney some three months ago, has been posting the most beautiful and loving photos of his family enjoying the season and the holidays.
His latest is a picture of his “ultimate Christmas present,” and alongside it supporters commented on how glad they were to see it.
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The support of his family seems to mean everything to him. Even when Mathison was in the hospital, he couldn’t help but smile as his beautiful children held his hand.Cancer survivors have told SurvivorNet how important it is to have those they love and trust, no matter the relation, in their lives and by their sides as they navigate their health challenges.
Tracy White, a two-time cervical cancer survivor, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview that she took the time to pay tribute to all of the people who helped her get through her diagnosis, treatment, and subsequent recurrence. And there were certainly a lot of names to names when it came to her support system. Like so many survivors, Tracy said that having that support from loved ones made a world of difference and really helped her heal.
"I had so many friends that stepped up," Tracy explained. "Two people in particular. One is a nurse … she lives in Ohio, and she came out so many times. Another best friend who is locally here in New Jersey, she would also come and take care of me. She would entertain my son when we needed a rest."
Tracy said that aside from her awesome friends, she also had prayer groups that she was a part of all over the world, parents at her son's school would help her out with meals, and would even watch him on days when Tracy had to go to chemotherapy.
"I couldn't have done it without all of them," Tracy said.
Finding Your Support System
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Heidi Kugler, an ovarian cancer survivor from Columbus, Ohio, said that as she was going through treatment, and afterwards, it made a huge difference after she began telling friends and acquaintances about her experience with the disease.
"I got this outpouring of love that was just amazing," Heidi said. "It got me through each and every day."
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