Survivor to Thriver: embracing life after cancer - by Beatriz Costeira

Beatriz Costeira at her first dance class dio post cancer diagnosis

The cancer diagnosis is life changing, and for a 24-year-old trying to make her way into the job market and create a name for herself, it’s disruptive to say the least.

Hi, my name is Beatriz, and I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in May 2024.

When I was first diagnosed, my priorities shifted completely. Instead of overthinking about how stagnated and lost I felt in life, my focus was on winning the battle ahead. Little did I know that that battle was only the first of a very long war. We are indeed wariors, this is a stone that life only places in the path of those strong enough to overcome it, never forget that.

I received the news of being in remission in November, three days before my birthday. Everyone would say that it was the best birthday gift I could get, and that’s no lie. But for some reason, my reaction to the news wasn’t as cheerful as I expected, not as cheerful as my mother’s or everyone else’s. I wanted to, but in the back of my head a lingering thought of “what now?” haunted my little Happiness from pressing the cheer button in the mental control console, just like in Inside Out (great movies by the way).

If you’re reading this and find yourself lost in “the after cancer”, know that you are not alone and there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel!

I was very lost and misplaced on the path I was on before cancer, and to certain extent I felt like all of this was a hint from my body that I was not following the right direction, and I listened. The next six months of treatment made me question every decision I made up until that point – studies, careers, relationships, hobbies, and even the way I pushed myself beyond my limits. I had an even harder battle to fight after chemo: finding myself.

I’ve struggled deeply with depression and anxiety, even before cancer, and it is not easy to overcome. It takes a lot of strength, and we need to pull ourselves up while reaching for an helping hand. The diagnosis and the chemo made it worse, but what went through my head then could fill an entire trilogy, so let’s focus on the after. I had a mission: to build a future where I felt fulfilled, happy and proud of myself. These were my tactics:

1. Communication. Therapy and opening up with the ones close to me were my first line of attack, and I plan to keep seeing my therapist for a long time.

2. Hobbies. I started hobbies I had been wanting to try forever, ceramics mostly. I found out that I’m actually good at it – take a look!

3. Happiness. I went back to what makes me happy: dance. I don’t think I’ve ever been as heartbroken as I was when I had to stop dancing in 2018. But this was the time, I had to go back.

4. Exercise. Going back to the studio was challenging, because everything I had worked for was gone - muscle strength and flexibility - and I had to start all over again. But I was determined to not just get back to where I was, but to build a new, even stronger version of myself.

5. Nutrition. With the weight fluctuations during and after chemo, I struggled with both my self-esteem and my overall health. What we feed our bodies is crucial for easing chemo effects during and after treatment. For me, I’m on a mission to feel good in my body again.

My first ceramic piece

Chemotherapy was a setback, but also an experience that made me mentally tougher, I just had to tap into that strength.

I could develop way more on each of these strategies, but we would be here for hoooours.

My professional life also had to be rethought, but my only rule to myself is to take it slow. And so, it happens that I started working with The After Cancer, where I get to learn more about how to manage my side effects after chemotherapy while contributing my first-hand experience to help improve the approach to different topics.

All in all, what I want to emphasize is that the road back from chemotherapy is undeniably challenging, full of ups and downs. There is no way we can avoid that. But we can work around it, with resilience, patience, focus and a handful of troops by our side. Notably, research shows that exercise and healthy nutrition can improve survivors’ quality of life and even reduce risk of cancer recurrence. So I strongly advocate that nourishing and listening to your body will significantly improve post-chemotherapy symptoms. And above all, take

care of your mental health. Learn that new skill you’ve always wanted, do what makes you happy, connect with those who bring the best in you, and try that dance class you’ve been hesitant to take (you are never too late for that)!

Spread kindness, and kindness will find its way back to you.

The present may be shaky, but the future is bright and full of good things to come.