I'll never forget the moment I received the news of my mom's cancer diagnosis. I was in a state of shock due to the combination of of thoughts like, "I never imagined this happening to my mom", "How serious is the diagnosis?" and, "How can I comfort the person who has always comforted me?". The period of initial uncertainty and unanswered questions was the darkest phase. But then came the reality - we got the best news possible regarding the diagnosis and treatment options! It all happened so quickly and as time went on I realized that something I feared hadn't happened - my mom was still my mom. We were still able to laugh and enjoy good times together. Sure, there were bumps in the road but life went on. It's been almost exactly a year since the day we got the mind-numbing news, and now, her strength, resilience, positivity, and impact on others (basically all of the good things) are the things I attribute to who she is today. The dark has been overpowered by the light.  

My advice for anyone else who's dealing with a parent's diagnosis is multi-pronged. First, be there for them in any way you can. If you live close by, make the effort to increase your visits, phone calls, and offer to accompany them to appointments. If you live out of state, call or FaceTime often and make it clear you want to be in the loop with any updates. Your support will mean so much to them and will encourage them to persevere. Second, make sure that you have your own support system. Even though you're now apart of someone's support system doesn't mean that you don't need one yourself. It took me a while to understand the importance of this. Try to open up to your friends and family when they check in on you, and make time for self care and activities you enjoy. Third, don't unhealthily obsess over it, but take the opportunity to get serious about your own health. If it weren't for my mom's routine mammogram, her cancer wouldn't have been caught so early which could have resulted in a completely different outcome. Make sure your own doctor(s) are aware of your parent's diagnosis so that you can be considered a high-risk patient and be more closely monitored from an earlier age. Genetic testing is also something you can encourage your parent to do so that you can better understand the genetic likelihood of the disease. 

I know it's not ideal to be a passenger on this journey, but you're going to do so much for your parent by simply sticking by their side. Giving you a virtual hug - you got this!