Hi, my name is Emily Morphy and I want to talk to you about how to cope with cancer through a great-granddaughter’s perspective.

My great-grandma, Bernice Siddall, just turned 100 years old on August 30th.

She grew up on a farm outside of London, ON with seven brothers and sisters. Bernice spent her life as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse while raising three children.

Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her mid-50s and she decided to have a mastectomy.

It was a brave decision.

Today, my great-grandma is living in a nursing home struggling with health issues. However, she has love from her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who are always close by.

Here are some tips from a great granddaughter’s perspective on how to cope:

1. Be there

• Spend time with the people you love… regardless of their age. This could mean just talking to them on the phone or eating dinner together.
• Support your parents and grandparents by being patient.

2. Ask questions

• It is OK if you don’t understand what’s happening, just ask.
• But, as Sara has mentioned, be aware of how often you ask, “how are you doing?”

3. Express your emotions

• Through sports, journaling, meditating, blogging, etc.
• Express yourself in a way you feel your best!

4. Have a support system 

• Keep positivity in your life with the people around you; therefore, remove the negativity in your life.
• Regardless if your support system is friends, family or a pet, keep someone close to talk to. 

5. Most importantly: take care of yourself

• I prioritize taking care of myself by relaxing. I always feel better watching a light-hearted TV show… Friends is definitely my top choice!
• One of my favourite things to do is grab a bath bomb and relax in a hot bath.

I want to hear about your experiences and tips you have – leave it in the comments below!