cancer survivors needed

[makiko]

Hello,

I am new to this site and am very glad to have found this place which is filled with love and positive energy. I wish I had found here 2 years ago -- when my husband, David, diagnosed w/ nsclc and quickly passed away within 3 months, leaving me and our 1 y.o daughter behind. He was only 45 and had never smoked. I think I am moving on in my grieving process, but there has been one recurring thought in my mind -- that David's physical state was largely affected by his emotional state. He detireorated and died much faster than the doctors anticipated, because, I believe, that he had lost all his hope when he found out that he was incurable. He shut down emotionally and physically, until all his systems shut down completely.

The way David expired made me decide to pursue this theme of mind-body interaction, in the form of a research study. I am right now working on my doctoral dissertation entitled 'The experience of recovering from terminal cancer', in which I would explore the self-repair system of human body -- why do some people survive when most others w/ same diagnoses don't make it? What's happening when body's healing ability is at its peak?

I am looking for people (age 25-65) who have survived terminal/advanced cancer for 3+ (ideally 5+) years, who are currently in stable physical & emotional condition.

If you are a survivor, or you know somebody who had the experience, please contact me at mguji@yahoo.com with your contact information. I will send you a study protocol. I live in Washington state, but I plan to travel to New York, San Francisco, and Seattle areas to conduct interviews. If you live outside of the area, I might consider a phone interview.

Thanks for reading this lengthy message. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Makiko Guji, MA