Animals for Cancer Patients
A cancer diagnosis can flip a person’s life upside down. Individuals living with cancer experience a tiring and unique journey that can require special support to fight their condition.
There are many ways to treat cancer such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. All of these treatments aim to eliminate the presence of cancer in the body and improve any uncomfortable physical symptoms.
Emotional Support Animals for Cancer Patients
In addition to lifesaving medical treatment, many patients may seek emotional support to help them through their fight against cancer. Popular choices for this include counseling, support groups, online forums, and more. Many people do not realize that emotional support animals have many physical, emotional, and mental benefits for individuals fighting cancer.
The Benefits of Emotional Support Animals for Patients Fighting Cancer
Oftentimes, cancer patients feel alone in their journey. They may not have anyone to relate to or connect with. Animals are incredibly empathetic creatures that cancer patients can lean on when they need it most, creating a sense of companionship.
Some patients may be unable to leave the house due to their condition, and may not be as active as they were before their diagnosis. Emotional support animals can promote healthy habits and eliminate feelings of boredom, providing the patient with a sense of normalcy and activity.
Cancer treatment can be stressful and can cause patients to feel anxious or depressed. Emotional support animals have been proven to ease these feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety.
Emotional support animals can also encourage cancer patients to keep fighting – no matter how hard it may be. Patients with support animals can feel inspired and needed, giving them the psychological support needed to continue with treatment to defeat cancer.
No one deserves to navigate a cancer diagnosis alone. During a journey with many highs and lows, finding an emotional support animal to fit the needs of a cancer patient can give them the support they need to keep on fighting.