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Living with the loneliness and trauma of incurable cancer

2024-02-06 21:19:51, Shëndeti CNA

An incurable cancer diagnosis turns a man's life upside down. Such a thing happened to Veronika Lukasova, a photographer, teacher, artist in Britain. Her story is that of a woman who has every reason to enjoy life: Family, successful career, but with the diagnosis she received, life is exactly where she can't keep her hopes up. However, Veronica is turning her battle with cancer into an open book. She is preparing a publication with the support of a foundation that has returned to her oasis.

Veronika Lukasova is a photographer, teacher and artist. She is writing a book describing what it means to live with terminal cancer. Veronika is from the Czech Republic, and met her English husband when they were working at Stanford University in California. They have a 10-year-old son, Vigo, and live in England.

In February 2021, Veronika had stomach problems and consulted a doctor. Blood tests showed the presence of a tumor. Four months later, she was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare cancer that grows slowly and often starts in the appendix but also in other organs such as the colon and ovaries.

In August 2021, Veronika underwent an operation where she partially or completely removed seven internal organs.

Despite her serious life-threatening condition, she did not have adequate support due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was really hard to accept because I felt healthy. I did gymnastics, I was fully engaged. But I started to lose weight and noticed some stomach bloating. I couldn't imagine how I would go from a healthy person to a complete collapse because the operation was brutal, as they remove so many organs and it's like doing several operations in one. I explained all this to the boy. What will happen? And it all happened during isolation, so they couldn't enter the hospital with me," she recalls.

She had complications after the operation, blood clots in her lungs and a bacterial infection, which meant she needed a blood transfusion.

According to oncologists, because this type of cancer grows so slowly, many people are unaware they have it for years.

In September of last year, doctors told Veronika that the cancer was returning and was incurable.

She is finishing a book to describe her story with cancer. The book includes artistic illustrations, some of which are inspired by the famous Flemish painter, Jan Van Eyck.

The title of her book "The True Mystical Lamb" is a borrowing from one of his famous paintings, "The Adoration of the Mystical Lamb," or "The Mystical Lamb" for short.

For Veronika, the book has become a mission. She is getting weaker and worse by the day, but to make matters worse, she has to face something even more difficult: how will she tell her son the news that the chances are that he will not survive.

"I sank into despair and depression. How could I function? I prepared the music list for the funeral. I began to write a speech to be read there, a love letter to my son. It's the hardest thing. We don't know how long I will live. He knows the cancer is back, but I don't think he understands that I might not be here anymore," she explains.

Veronika often goes to Maggie's center where all those living with cancer are welcome, web only: without being disturbed by what others say, they get advice about their treatment and practical support for their families and themselves. Veronika says that this place has become her oasis.

Victoria Curran runs the Maggie's Center at St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City of London. She says these centers offer patients a much-needed protective space.

"When you get a diagnosis like that, you lose so much control. Others tell you where you should go, what time the meetings are. Finding something you want to do for yourself gives you strength and support. And we help patients find such a thing."

The International Agency for Research on Cancer predicts that by 2050 there will be over 35 million new cases of cancer worldwide. The agency, part of the World Health Organization (WHO), says this marks an increase of 77%, from the 20 million cases registered in 2022.

Around the world, the cost of living crisis has further inhibited the ability of many people to quickly access treatment. A trend that Maggie's Center has noticed.

Ms Curran says such organizations can help patients get better outcomes.

“We see people who may have had a harder time getting diagnosed or had to wait longer for treatment. If they come to us earlier, there are many things we can do to prepare them for treatment," she says.

In a testament to the help of this center, Veronika says her book was made possible thanks to visits to Maggie's and intends to have some of the proceeds from the publication go to charity.

"It was something that transformed my life and I wanted to do something not only for people with the same type of cancer, but for all those with cancer or who are going through something so difficult in their lives", says Veronika./ VOA