Positive Mindset: The Perspective of a Cancer Survivor
Content Courtesy of the Forever Young Podcast with Christiana Egi and Cherrie-Marie Chiu.
Last month we had a special guest on our Forever Young podcast, where we chat about ways to keep our bodies and minds young. Last month, we had our friend Noa Gluzman Kaufman with us to chat about her story on our Forever young podcast. Noa joined us last year in a podcast to discuss living in optimal wellness. Take a listen below if you want to learn more about what it means to live in optimal wellness and more on how to create better habits. Noa is a cancer survivor and she joined us in our most recent episode to share her story and what she's learned through her journey.
Noa has been in the health care industry for the past 15 years or more, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from Tel Aviv University and followed that by getting a diploma in holistic health practice. Noa is also an RMT and has additional training in aromatherapy, box flower remedies, Reiki, and professional reflexology.
Noa’s story takes her back to when she just turned 19. She was part of educational activity and volunteered to set up the class when she got hit by the corner of a bench caused a small hematoma (which is very ordinary and we never pay much attention to). However this one didn't disappear, and about a year after, she got the information from one of her doctors that she had some kind of sarcoma, which is a very rare type of cancer. At the time the doctors did not know what they were dealing with and Noa had to start making plans for a wide excision. Noa knew her life was going to change forever.
The wide excision operation would come with the possibility of Noa having an amputated leg, to which she refused the surgery. She later agreed to the surgery if only the doctors sign a consent form which required them to wake Noa up if it was the case that the surgery would require her to amputate her leg. The doctors did sign it, and she went into the operation with a big smile on her face. After the long procedure, Noa did not need to amputate her legs but it was only the beginning. Being merely a teenager, Noa fought the system along with her personal battle of cancer, which made things more complicated and the situation was hard for her, considering her level of independence at that age.
We are grateful for advancements in science and technology over the years which have made it more hopeful for patients to survive cancer. During this time Noa listened to her body, paid attention to what she was feeling, and knew something was not quite right. But she also knew to stand up for herself and ask for what she needed. A lot of people are afraid to admit things are not right in their bodies and the potential answers can be scary.
Noa also spoke on how people view her as a person diagnosed with cancer. She also believes at the end of the day there is a connection between the mental and emotional state of people and their immune system. Each and every one of us have cancer cells in our bodies. However, when the immune system is not strong enough, cancer is a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells.
After her surgery, Noa was determined to get her life back to normal, learn to walk again, and exercise with the help of physiotherapy. Towards the end of her plan of recovery, she saw a small ad in the local newspaper of a couple looking for help to run their bookstore. Noa's first thoughts were how would she be able to stand for hours at a time, but her love for books motivated her to want to become better and stronger.
Noa's story has shown us that mindset is everything. She was determined to bring her life back to what she once knew, which was her living an independent and carefree life. She did everything in her power to heal her body and have a different outlook on life. Noa claims that your state of mind starts with how much people will listen to themselves before listening to others. When it comes to health issues, it is easy to let go of the responsibility to the ones that are more qualified like doctors and health care practitioners (and we should listen to them!) but it is also important to listen to your needs and tune into what feels right for you, and what doesn’t. Your body is your capsule, and nobody else can feel what you feel. Noah says, tuning into your energy and gut feeling is a major player in any house's success.
This is why it is important to know what we need to support ourselves. People are dying more slowly, rather than living life. If you don't have a sense of purpose, it can be harder to enjoy moments in life that makes life more worthwhile. This is also why having community and spirituality is important, so we all can support each other through this journey of life.
Noa sees every challenge in her life as a goal to reach. She summons the energy to work past whatever hurdle is in front of her in order to make the best out of her situation. The process of having surgeries and going through radiation and rehabilitation opened Noa's eyes to the possibility of starting a career in medicine, where she could be of help to walk others through their own journey of facing health issues. The changes in her lifestyle lead her to choose a career as a Holistic healthcare partitioner. We are really in awe of Noa's determination. Noa claims this journey has become a huge lesson that has changed her life, and we are sure it has as it has made a heavy impact on our lives as well. We are so thankful to Noa for sharing her story and we hope our listeners and readers have learned through her story and also feel inspired to always have a positive mindset despite our circumstances. We are so grateful for Noa and we can’t wait to have her back on our Forever Young podcast again!
The Forever Young podcast is created and produced by Christiana and Cherrie Marie Chiu. Produced and engineered by Elisse Hill. The podcast represents our opinions and those of our guests. The content should not be taken as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. Please consult your health care professional for any medical questions. If you like our show, please tell your friends and leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. New episodes are available every other Wednesday. Have questions? Email us at ourforeveryoungpodcast@gmail.com.
