No one would choose cancer and face the uncertainty, treatment side effects, and disruption in their lives. Yet, despite all the downsides of cancer, some survivors say cancer was one of the best things to happen to them. Others acknowledge the unexpected gifts a cancer diagnosis bestowed on them.

For people who've never personally experienced cancer, or for someone newly diagnosed, that perspective is hard to imagine. However, the rise of personal blogs makes it possible for cancer patients to share their journeys, and life lessons learned, with others.

Lesson One: Live Life Fully

Kris Karr of Crazy Sexy Life turned a hopeless diagnosis of incurable cancer in 2003 into a virtual movement to teach people-cancer patients and everyone else-how to live life to its fullest in every possible way. She opens her website with the question: "Why, when we are challenged to survive, do we give ourselves permission to truly live?"

Lesson Two: Face Fears

Fear in general, and fear of death, can keep us from doing what we'd really like to do. Aaron Outward, a leukemia survivor, writes on his blog, "Leukemia and the treatment had forced me to stare death in the face, in fact twice. I was no longer afraid of it. This lack of fear has enabled me to focus more on other things in my life, begin to truly appreciate the gifts it offers and enjoy all the aspects of living."

Lesson Three: Renew Lifestyle

As part of their journey to overcome cancer, many patients embrace a cancer-fighting diet, exercise, and stress reduction techniques-often for the first time. They realize the power they actually have over their own health and, possibly, even their cancer outcome. Too many of us live as though we can simply trade in our neglected body for a new one.

Lesson Four: Let Go of What's Not Important

QualityHealth's cancer blogger, Jennifer Wilson Cooper, says, "I definite would not say cancer is the best thing that has happened to me, especially at this moment, the day before my son's 6th birthday, I'm researching treatment trials and new treatment options for my fourth recurrence in less than three years.

However, if I could trade a cure for going back to the way I experienced life pre-cancer, I don't know if I would. I was so unawakened to the preciousness of life. I worried about mundane things from finances to making chicken for dinner for the third time in a week. Now every second of life feels rich, enchanted, poetic. I just don't know if I could ever give that up."

Sources:
Aaron Outward. "Why Leukemia Was the Best Thing To Happen To Me. Blog.Web. 19 April 2011.
http://www.aaronoutward.com/2011/04/why-leukemia-was-best-thing-to-happen.html

Kris Karr. Crazy Sexy Life. Web.
http://crazysexylife.com/

Jennifer Wilson Cooper. Blog. Web.
http://www.qualityhealth.com/specials/fourseeds