Dealing with chemotherapy and radiation

Posted on 22 March 2013

Former Miss SA (crowned in 1987) Wilma van der Bijl shares her 10 tips for getting through chemotherapy and radiation.

1.    Try to eat. Your appetite may be gone but you need to keep up your strength. Healthy, fresh and green should be the mainstay of your diet.
2.     Drink lots of fluids. It may make you nauseous but try to find a drink that’s soothing. A mix of Coca-Cola and water worked for me.
3.    Rest. You need lots of sleep. Your body is taking a knock and needs time to recover.
4.    Avoid using body lotion, deodorant or talcum powder on areas affected by radiation.
5.    Wear loose-fitting shirts to avoid aggravating skin irritation from radiation.
6.    Be quiet, slow down. This is your chance to pause and seek out the positives in your life.
7.    Your family suffers as much as you do through the process. Find a good counsellor and support network for them.
8.    Where possible, schedule any treatment for a Friday so you have the weekend to recover.
9.    Stay away from crowds and sick people. Your immunity will be at an all-time low and you can’t afford to get an infection.
10.     Hang on to your sense of humour. There are times when laughter really is the best medicine.

Wilma’s advice to anyone undergoing cancer treatment is simple: ‘Let go of being a hero. You need support. Accept and ask for help, call in those favours your friends owe, because you never know when you’re going to need it.’

To read her full story, click here.

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.