Positivity and proper diet help with treatment

I bought my mom her first headscarf when I visited her during fall break.

When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in August, three days after her 52nd birthday, some of the first words out of her mouth were, “If I lose my hair, I’m not wearing a wig. It’s too damn hot in Texas.”

In the days following her diagnosis, she and her doctor discussed a detailed outline of what would happen next.

Since the tumor was contained to one breast, she needed a lumpectomy. Post-surgery, she would need radiation. And due to the rapid growth of her tumor, chemotherapy was necessary.

Although learning and understanding the medical procedures and jargon involved with breast cancer is daunting, a course of action and treatment plans are integral parts of successfully beating cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, five common treatments exist for breast cancer patients. Patients typically receive more than one treatment.

Courtney Metz, a UNC Asheville management and mass communication alumna, said all the women on her mother’s side of her family had breast cancer.

“My great-grandmother had breast cancer three times,” Metz said. “She had a mastectomy, along with chemotherapy. She refused to get chemotherapy the last time she needed it because she hated it so much.”

In addition to chemotherapy, which consists of medicines that work to shrink and kill cancer, treatments include surgery, radiation, biological therapy and hormonal therapy. Biological therapy helps the body’s immune system control side effects from other cancer treatments. Hormonal therapy functions to prevent cancer cells from getting the hormones they need in order to grow, according to the CDC.

“My mother’s doctor had a very holistic approach, so she took a lot of vitamins during her treatment to offset the chemo,” said Michelle Barbeau, a UNCA literature alumna. Barbeau’s mother, who was diagnosed with the disease twice and battled it for four years, died when her daughter was 13.

No matter the treatment, fatigue is inevitable. However, striving to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a cancer patient is a vital step in refusing to surrender to the disease.

Many breast cancer victims find that continuing to work while receiving treatment suits them. Additionally, exercising in moderation throughout treatment can relieve stress and stimulate appetite, according to the CDC.

A positive correlation exists between poor diet and lifestyle and the onset of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. As a result, many breast cancer victims opt to change their diet for the better.

“My mom switched her diet to one of only organic foods after she was diagnosed,” Barbeau said.

Lois Beckett, a mammography supervisor at Iredell Memorial Hospital, said patients should eliminate processed foods and red meat from their diet.

“For any person dealing with breast cancer, I would advise adhering to a normal, recommended diet, exercise and doing anything that brings about a positive attitude,” Beckett said. “Positivity is key during treatment and into recovery. If meditation makes you feel better, do it. Listen to the doctor’s orders, but then do something beyond that that makes you feel better.”

For Barbeau’s mother, that little something extra consisted of sitting in the rocking chairs of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport with her daughter, looking outside at the ascending planes.

“My mother died before 9/11, so when she needed a little boost during her treatments, we would just go to the airport and sit, and she would look around and take everything in. That was a special thing the two of us did, and I think it helped us both cope,” Barbeau said with a smile.

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