Ask Dr. Walter Lee: How are you able to cope with caring for cancer patients?

I didn't originally think I would go into a field that focuses on caring for cancer patients. But during my residency training, the days during my head and neck cancer rotation were some of the longest and most demanding, yet they were overall the most fulfilling I experienced. There is a lot that can be said about working in the cancer field, and I want to focus on two things.

The first is that when you find something that consistently and increasingly stirs your soul, then this could be your calling. How does one confirm this "calling"? I believe it is through both a "pull toward" and a "push to". Let me explain. The "pulled toward" is something you imagine or experience that persistently recurs into your mind that is both intellectually challenging as well as emotionally moving. The "push to" involves activities and opportunities you seek out that come from your own skills, talents, and personality. When you are consistently being both pushed to and pulled toward something, that can be a good sign it is a calling. Recall that there is always a cost to pursue any career choice, whether it be time, energy, tuition, resources, etc., but the costs are outweighed by the meaning the work brings to your heart and mind and how it aligns with your personal gifts and talents, which is reflected in your calling. The better you align your heart, your mind, your soul, with what you do- you will find that you feel as if you were made for this. For me, the career I have in head and neck cancer has not been easy, smooth, or comfortable but it is exactly what I feel I was made for.

The second is that knowing about cancer is different from knowing cancer. It is similar to knowing about someone compared to knowing someone. Never confuse the two. This principle came to the forefront of my mind when in 2015-2016 I had four friends in my life who either had or recently had cancer. Because each of them was generous with their time and story, I was able to interview them to teach me more about living with cancer. I collected their valuable insights into a small book that I titled, "3F's of Cancer Care: How to make them work for you".

My hope and prayer is that this can be a blessing to others - whether they are going through cancer, or know someone who is. The free copy of the book is below.

Contact us if you would like our help in discovering your calling. When you discover your calling, I believe you will find it is exactly what you were made to do.

3Fs of Cancer care Book.pdf

Download PDF • 3.72MB