COVID-19 and Cancer Panel Discussion: Managing Stress, Anxiety, and Grief During Uncertain Times

Managing Stress, Anxiety and Grief with Dr. L. Imani Price

NCCS has been collecting questions from patients and survivors on the coronavirus crisis and decided to address these questions through a series of webinars and podcasts.

NCCS hosted a conversation this week about managing anxiety, stress, and grief with psychologist Dr. Imani Price and a panel of cancer survivors and advocates. Dr. Price shared tips on how to cope with stress during this unique time and included strategies such as connecting with friends and family virtually, taking time to get outside each day, getting sufficient sleep, and eating well.

Randall Broad, Erin Cummings, Loretta Herring, and Sharon Rivera-Sanchez, all cancer survivors and patient advocates, shared their struggles and advice for coping with the isolation and fear that many cancer survivors are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her opening comments, Dr. Price said:

The uncertainty of the times is leading to many of us feeling depressed, some of us are feeling anxious, and there’s even secondary PTSD that’s occurring as a result of everything that’s going on. This uncertainty is making many of us feel very vulnerable, and our lives are out of our hands and out of our control. Control of our lives helps us to feel a sense of well-being, and ultimately a sense of safety. Many individuals have shared with me that they are feeling similar to the way they did when they were first diagnosed with cancer. That uncertainty, not quite knowing what this is going to do long-term and how COVID-19 can impact them and their family.

Despite all of the challenges, I’m encouraging everyone to maintain and reclaim control over their lives, despite the hunker-in-place and all the other things that are now in place so that we can stay healthy and safe.