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‘Cancer patients need the community’s support’
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Posted on May 30 2019
Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios joins some of the cancer survivors for a group photo after signing a proclamation declaring May 25 to 31 as CNMI Cancer Survivors Week and June 2 as National Cancer Survivors Day. (Jon Perez)
People who are diagnosed with cancer need the support of the community more than ever as they battle the dreaded disease, according to former lawmaker Cinta Kaipat, who was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2011 a type of cancer that affects the uterus.
Her cancer is now in remission, making her one of over 300 cancer survivors in the Commonwealth who will be joining the observance of CNMI Cancer Survivors Week (from May 25 to 31) and the National Cancer Survivors Day on June 2.
Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios signed last Tuesday a proclamation to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors and of those who are still in the midst of their struggles.
At the proclamation signing, Kaipat stressed that remaining positive and upbeat in dealing with the disease is important.
“The mind affects the rest of the body. Keep a positive attitude. Surround yourself with positive people and you need to have a stress-free environment. Cancer is very stressful and it is critical that you maintain a positive mindset.”
“You have control over your environment. So, eliminate toxic people from your life and stay surrounded by people who will support you. I am grateful for the support that my family got from the community, the Commonwealth Cancer Association, and everyone who volunteered. I will be forever grateful for that more than I could express.”
Kaipat went through three months of daily radiation and she is now in remission. She advises cancer patients to look for something that works for them. “You have to consider that, when you have cancer, what works for you doesn’t necessarily mean it would work for everyone. There’s no cookie-cutter way to get treatment and all that kind of stuff, so you have to find what works for you—your own individual level of comfort and treatment that is good for you. Not everything that works for someone will apply to you.
“I thank everyone in the community—from the hardworking volunteers, the magnificent sponsors, to the staff and entire CCA board that help lead the way for all the cancer patients and their families.”
