Don’t Let Cancer Damage Your Marriage - Episode 171 - Health, Hope & Inspiration : City of Hope®

Don’t Let Cancer Damage Your Marriage – Episode 171

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Featuring: Rev. Percy McCray & Wayne Shepherd

Published: July 6, 2019

In this episode of Health, Hope & Inspiration, the hosts discuss the unique challenges a cancer journey brings to a marriage and offer seven key strategies for strengthening spousal relationships.

Show Notes:

Cancer is a community disease that directly impacts marriage relationships. Reverend Percy McCray, Director of Faith-Based Programs at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, talks with co-host Wayne Shepherd about the unique pressure cancer places on a marriage. He also offers seven strategic approaches to strengthen a marriage relationship before and during cancer treatment.

The hosts first discussed how a cancer diagnosis brings fear into the marriage relationship and then the shame often associated with caring for a loved one with cancer—shame about past things left undone or hurt in the relationship. “Cancer is a tremendous weight that then gets placed upon one, and that weight begins to put pressure on anything that it sits upon, and if that foundation is a little shaky, has a crack in it, has something that’s not quite stabilized in the foundation, the weight of having cancer begins to expose weak areas in the structure of one’s relationship,” Reverend Mc Cray said. They also discussed feelings of self-doubt, body image insecurities (especially if surgery is a part of cancer treatment), sexual intimacy, the pressures of care-giving, and changes in confidence. Reverend McCray offered seven valuable strategies for marriage relationships facing cancer.

Quotes:

“Cancer is a tremendous weight…and that weight begins to put pressure on anything that it sits upon, and if that foundation is a little shaky…has a crack in it, has something that’s not quite stabilized in the foundation, the weight of having cancer begins to expose weak areas in the structure of one’s relationship.”
“First and foremost, part of this dialogue and discussion needs to make sure that it is built upon the idea that God is your rock and center and that you’re going to rely on Him and take everything to Him.”
“The Bible tells us that one of the great prophets was standing and there was a great wind and a rushing thunder, and the Bible says that God wasn’t in that, that it was the still, small voice. In some cases, the little, small things are things to be recognized, noticed, and celebrated, so, again, don’t overlook the small things, the wins, the little things, whatever you can find to celebrate and rally yourself around being encouraged to fight and live another day.”

Resources:

CLICK HERE to download this week’s resource: “How Cancer Impacts Relationships”