Chaplain and cancer survivor Debra Jarvis provided the Texas Medical Center chaplains with her insights, many of which she has included in her recent book, It's Not about the Hair. Jarvis provides a unique perspective as one who provides pastoral support to those who are ill, and has faced a life-threatening diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. I found her to be engaging, humorous, and insightful. I've included below a few of her insights which I jotted down during her presentation. You can also join me in a discussion on our community forum, where I have a message tree entitled: "survivor vs. pilgrim".
".....the medical aspect is such a a small part of the cancer experience."
" ...we connect through our vulnerabilities."
"...be alert to the gifts in the cancer experience - no one can tell you what they may be, or when or where they will show up - just be alert."
" ....in terms of transformation in the context of a life-threatening illness like cancer - people are tempted to go back to the way it was before the illness, which is to lose the precious opportunity to learn and grow from adversity."
