My Fear of Breast Cancer Recurrence (A Poem)

The fear of recurrence, or fear of cancer coming back, is one of the most common worries among people affected by breast cancer. Elise Bourne-Busby, EdD, wrote this poem about her own fear of recurrence in anticipation of our free January webinar on this topic.

The fear that cancer may invade my body again
Keeps recurring daily in my brain,
I must change my habits, if I want to stay healthy
Good health is not cheap, I must re-assign my money,
Good nutrition first, eat only the best
Fresh fruits and vegetables, get plenty of rest,
No candy and soda, drink water every day
I am what I eat, and for this I must pay,
My immune system is the core of my being
My body is designed to do the Self–Healing,
I must treat my body kindly, I must help the process
Exercise a little more, eat a little less,
My doctors will treat me, but I must keep the appointment
Get frequent health checks, even though inconvenient,
I must not be scared to ask my doctors any question
They are the experts, I pay for this information,
I must not be afraid to say I don’t understand
I must always, always get a second opinion,
I need my health, so I must remember
To ask my doctors for my health numbers,
Show me my glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure
And when I go home I’ll take my waist measure,
My good health is not only important, it’s mandatory
I must fire my doctors if necessary,
But I am not perfect, I do not always rest
Sometimes I eat junk food, and make my life a mess,
So I have to stay strong, and talk to myself daily
Nurture the core of my being, to balance spirit, mind and body,
I must invest in good health, fear is not an option
I must take care of me, that’s the only solution.

Elise Bourne-Busby, EdD, is a 15-year breast cancer survivor, and is a Reach to Recovery volunteer for the American Cancer Society. She is one of the founding members and chairperson of the group More Than Friends, which gives Sharing and Caring baskets to cancer patients undergoing treatment, provides transportation, makes home and hospital visits and assists the uninsured and underinsured with information to solve medication needs and financial issues.

The fear of recurrence doesn’t have to run your life. Join us on Thursday, January 29, at noon ET, for our fear of reccurence webinar, to learn about practical tools to help you manage your fears.