Episode 57- Show Notes:
Host Gwen Kelly, a stage three astrocytoma brain cancer survivor diagnosed at 19, explains she created Combating Cancer to offer a safe, honest space for those affected by cancer. She shares why she stopped drinking six months ago: alcohol didn't create her fears but uncovered lingering trauma, triggering spirals about mortality, recurrence, survivor's guilt, and anxious thoughts about her future with her fiancé, Jake, despite knowing he loves her. She also reflects on the grand mal seizure that led to her tumor diagnosis, her ongoing seizure medication's warning not to drink, and the risk of losing her independence if another seizure occurred. Gwen concludes that drinking was delaying needed self-conversations about fear and grief, emphasizing that survivorship doesn't automatically equal emotional healing and urging listeners to notice coping mechanisms that help them avoid healing.
Discussed in this episode:
More from Gwen:
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