Cancer Diary: Plan Ahead, Even If You Are Not at Risk for Cancer

 

Carl was not at risk for cancer. We did nothing to prepare. The thought never crossed our mind that we should do something. Then, it hit: a fall, a diagnosis, and five months left to live. It would have been so helpful to have had many things settled in advance that we had to decide on the spur of the moment -- and not necessarily well. 

Cancer doesn't send a warning letter. It arrives without invitation, disrupting lives and leaving little room for thoughtful planning. While we hope to never face this diagnosis, the reality is sobering: nearly 40% of Americans will develop cancer in their lifetime. This prevalence suggests that preparing—even when healthy—is not pessimistic but prudent.

When cancer strikes, the whirlwind of doctor appointments, treatment decisions, and emotional processing consumes every available moment. There's rarely time to suddenly improve your nutritional habits, establish an exercise routine, or arrange complex financial and legal affairs. The foundation you build in health today becomes the reserve you draw from during illness.

Financial preparation is particularly critical. Cancer treatment costs can be devastating, even with insurance. Establishing an emergency fund, understanding your insurance coverage, and creating advance directives while clear-headed allows you to focus on healing rather than paperwork when illness arrives. Similarly, documenting your medical preferences ensures your care aligns with your values, even if you cannot advocate for yourself.

Physical resilience matters equally. Patients with stronger baseline health often tolerate treatments better and recover more quickly. The nutritional habits and exercise patterns established during wellness don't merely reduce cancer risk—they create physical resilience that becomes invaluable during treatment. Building these habits takes time and consistency—luxuries unavailable after diagnosis.

Cancer reminds us of life's fundamental uncertainty. While preparation doesn't guarantee protection, it provides something perhaps more valuable: agency. By taking thoughtful steps now—addressing physical health, financial security, and end-of-life preferences—we create space for what truly matters if illness arrives: being present with loved ones, focusing on treatment, and channeling energy toward healing rather than scrambling to arrange what could have been addressed in health.

Just a little "push" here to urge everyone else to plan ahead even if a look ahead is not possible.

Blog editor's note: As a memorial to Carl Leaver, MSI Press graphic arts director and designer, who died of Cancer of Unknown Primary August 16, 2021, and simply because it is truly needed, MSI Press is now hosting a web page, Carl's Cancer Compendium, as a one-stop starting point for all things cancer, to make it easier for those with cancer to find answers to questions that can otherwise take hours to track down on the Internet and/or from professionals. The web page is in its infancy but expected to expand into robustness. To that end, it is expanded and updated weekly. As part of this effort, each week, on Monday, this blog carries an informative, cancer-related story -- and is open to guest posts: Cancer Diary. 

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