A listening, watching, & reading list for the Cancer journey

The journey that Mizah and I went through – Mizah as a cancer fighter, and myself as a caregiver – was helped along by not just families, friends, and medical professionals. We also leaned on the generous sharing of experiences by others who have gone through this arduous journey to get us through it. Their stories gave us guidance through the mental and emotional battles that accompanied the physical challenges, and listening to them offered us hope, strength, comfort, and wisdom. It also reminded us that although many do not understand what we have to go through, there are many others who do.

This list is for you and your loved ones. I tend to consume media across disciplines, perspectives, and faiths so that I can form my own position and approach to things. Your mileage from these might differ but I do hope it helps you in some way.

:: If you have other resources to add to this list, please send me a DM (@adibjalal) on IG, Twitter or email ~ hello@adibjalal.com

Podcasts

Terrible, Thanks for Asking (TTFA) – The conversations about grief here are real.”Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and sometimes both”. Created & hosted by Nora Borealis who lost her husband to cancer.

Talking Cancer by Macmillan Cancer Support (UK)- Conversations with other fighters, caregivers, and medical professionals covering the entire gamut of human experiences.

Chris Wark was diagnosed with cancer and opted out of chemotherapy to choose a more natural based approach to healing. The podcast also features others who share the same idea

Fearne Cotton speaks to amazing people about life, love, loss, and mental health issues. As a caregiver who is dealing with his own depression, I resonate a lot with the stories and experiences in this show.

Aida Azlin is all about inspiration, empowerment, faith. Listening to her is a balm to the heart.

On Being is the award winning show at the intersection of “spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, community, poetry, and the arts”. Philosophical and poetic.

Tara Brach is a psychologist and a meditation teacher who speaks about compassion and acceptance. She draws on some Buddhist practices and some podcast episodes are guided meditation sessions.