I Kicked Breast Cancer’s Butt

By: Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin

 

Have you ever had one of those dreams where someone is trying to kill you? You don’t know who they are or why they’re after you, but they are relentless.

You finally wake up, your heart is pounding and you are so relieved because… it was just a dream.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I felt like I was in that nightmare, but there was no waking up.

The diagnosis of cancer took me to dark and scary places.

My “whens” became “ifs.” All the things I imagined doing in the future suddenly came into question. Would I see my kids grow up? Would my husband and I ever go on that African safari? The time that stretched before me turned into a giant question mark.

I also got angry at cancer. Here’s the thing: I did everything right. I exercise, I eat right. Not to sound like an Los Angeles stereotype, but I’m gluten free, dairy free, almost never eat rare meat. So what the heck?!

My diagnosis was not fair. But cancer doesn’t play fair.

Nobody knows that more than someone who’s experienced cancer. My family and friends have been amazingly supportive, but thankfully they cannot truly relate.

I was lucky enough to find a wonderful organization, Imerman Angels [http://imermanangels.org], that matches people with any type of cancer with those who have survived the same cancer. It was relieving to connect with someone who truly “got it” and who offered comfort and hope.

I was very lucky – very lucky – because the cancer was caught early. I heard many stories of women who felt a lump and were too scared to go to the doctor until it was too late. I am living proof that cancer is not a death sentence.

I had surgery and radiation, and I am happy to say that a year after my diagnosis, I am cancer free. Now I am on the board of Imerman Angels and my mission is to help others beat cancer, too.

I want everyone out there to know that they are not alone, that there is help, there is support, and most importantly, there is hope.

Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin winthedietwar.com

Psychoanalyst, author, radio and TV show host and an internationally recognized expert in the psychology of eating, she is considered a thought leader in her field and has helped men and women all over the world (19 countries and counting) find peace with food.

Dr. Nina is leading an anti-diet revolution. She writes an award winning blog, Make Peace With Food,teaching people how to take control of their eating and create permanent, sustainable weight loss, all without counting a single calorie, carb or fat gram. Her book, Food For Thought, is an Amazon bestseller, and she’s contributed to two books on psychoanalysis. She’s currently co-editing a book on addictions for Karnac Books (release date late 2018).

She has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Prevention, Real Simple, Huffington Post and many other publications, and is a frequent guest expert at summits, podcasts, radio and other events, including the prestigious National Meeting of the American Psychoanalytic Association.