Stories of progress, inspiration, and information in overcoming osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma patient Talgat center standing on rocks at a beach, along with a friend and his girlfriend. They are all looking into the camera and smiling.

6 Questions to Ask Yourself as a Cancer Survivor

Moving forward in life after cancer treatment involves processing your cancer experience and preparing to face the lingering effects of cancer. Begin your own self-reflection with these prompts.

Going through cancer can affect so much more than your physical health — it affects relationships, self-image, self-worth, sexuality, finances, school, career, and more.

Self-reflection is essential to processing the emotional stages that come with being a cancer survivor. Here are six questions that can help you process your experience of cancer so that you can move on to the next stage of your life.

Question 1: Who is in my support network?

Who can you talk to about living after cancer? Think about the people in your life you trust — family, friends, a therapist, clergy, a support group in your area — and consider who can offer a listening ear. You do not have to go through your cancer journey alone. There are people out there who can provide support.

Question 2: Moving forward, how will cancer affect me emotionally?

If you have had cancer, you should expect to face many reminders of your experience. You will be monitored for years following your initial diagnosis to make sure the cancer has not returned, which might involve CT scans, MRIs, blood tests, and X-rays. You may have scars from surgery or long-term side effects from treatment. Anniversaries of your diagnosis or treatment can bring up complex emotions.

For Samantha Stacy, who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma eight years ago at age 20, not a day goes by when she does not think about her cancer. “I still have daily reminders of cancer — whether physical or emotional,” she says. “I am incredibly thankful to be where I am now, but the impact of cancer is never far from my mind, and I do not expect that will ever change.”

Question 3: What health-related concerns do I have?

It is natural to have concerns about how cancer will affect your short-term and long-term health. For example, some cancer treatments can affect fertility. If you may want to have children in the future, ask your doctor about how your fertility can be preserved.

“Ask your doctors concrete questions. What are the long-term effects of the treatments I have been through? Do you have a survivorship program? What will follow-up care look like?” — William Tap, MD

William Tap, MD, encourages survivors to ask their doctors concrete questions. “What are the long-term effects of the treatments I have been through? Do you have a survivorship program? What will follow-up care look like?” Knowing what to expect can help you be prepared and can provide some sense of control over your future health.

Question 4: How can I exercise autonomy over my body?

At the end of the day, you are the one coping with the effects of cancer, and it is important that you make decisions about your treatment that align with your own values. For Sloane Dyer, 18, that meant choosing amputation instead of continuing to live with excruciating pain after a limb salvage surgery. “Rather than live with chronic pain the rest of my life and take all these dangerous opioids, I chose to listen to my body. It is an opportunity to have autonomy over my body and hopefully a less painful life,” says Sloane.

Question 5: How will I care for my body image and self-image?

Cancer can have a major effect on your body image and self-image, says Damon Reed, MD, director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Cancer treatments can cause changes in libido. Tumors, and surgeries to remove them, can alter your physical appearance.

For Jani Mueller, interacting with amputees who were living life to the fullest helped her develop more self-confidence about her rotationplasty. Today, she is an advocate for being positive about your body and accepting it.

Spend time thinking about what you will do with the insecurities that arise. How will you ground your self-worth in who you are, instead of your physical features? Consider seeking out a counselor or therapist who can navigate these issues with you.

Question 6: How do I want to live the rest of my life?

Fighting cancer takes so much energy that it can be hard to imagine a positive future for yourself. Take the time to think through your goals for the future and what is most important to you.

Two-time osteosarcoma survivor Carlos made a commitment to himself to not let cancer define who he would become. “I remember being at Texas Children’s one night and looking out the window at the Houston skyline,” says Carlos. “I thought to myself, I’m in here but life isn’t stopping. I made a promise to myself right then and there that I was going to be out there one day. That I would get through this, no matter how difficult it may be. Whether it was cancer, chemo, or the amputation, I was not going to let it dictate or define the person that I wanted to be in life.”