There's a new program under study to help cancer patients get back one of the most important pieces of the puzzle when it comes to living after the disease. We're talking about body image.
Often the fight against cancer can leave survivors with more than physical scars. But confronting these issues can bring back self-esteem.
34-year-old Angela Gass has difficulty swallowing and talking. She lost part of her tongue and jawbone to a 12-year battle with cancer., "They reconstructed all of it using other parts of my body."
Numerous surgeries took more than a physical toll. "I was depressed. I was embarrassed and I didn't want to leave my house," says Angela.
So she enrolled in a study about body image therapy. "Patients don't feel at times comfortable talking with their doctor or healthcare providers about these issues," says researchers Michelle Fingeret, PhD.
Issues like feeling guilty about appearance-related concerns and dealing with social situations. "A lot of times a patient will just start crying to me right away and saying you know no one's ever talked to me about this before and I don't feel, I feel so vain or I feel ashamed or guilty about bringing this up when I should just be happy I'm getting my cancer treated and I'm surviving cancer right now," says Dr. Fingeret.
"It kind of took weight off of me knowing it was okay to feel that way," says Angela. A counselor initially meets with patients in person but also counsels them by phone. She discusses their concerns, helps them set goals and celebrates milestones.
"I think my first assignment was to go to the grocery store and not cover my face," says Angela. "One of the phrases I tell people sometimes is fake it until you make it. Keep working at it and it will become more natural to you," says Dr. Fingeret.
The program helped angela make an important decision about the rest of her life. "Cancer took a lot from me and it wasn't going to take anything else," says Angela.
Doing the interview for this story, was actually part of Angela's treatment because being photographed or videotaped has been a fear since her last surgery. She says she wants other people in her circumstance to know it's okay to feel as she did.
