A cancer survivor revealed her do's and don'ts for what to say to a cancer patient - after being told to "look on the bright side" during her treatment.<br /><br />Kristen Beatty, 33, was diagnosed with non-hodgkin lymphoma - a type of cancer that forms in the immune system - after experiencing chest pain.<br /><br />She underwent chemotherapy and was given the all clear a year later.<br /><br />Kristen shares her story online and gives advice on how to address the topic of cancer.<br /><br />In light of the recent news of the The Princess of Wales' recent diagnosis, Kristen feels she would have had to have been "selfless in the way she told her family".<br /><br />Kristen, who works in PR, from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey said: “They [cancer patients] don’t need to tell family and friends, it’s their choice on how to handle it. <br /><br />“There is no how to handle cancer book.<br /><br />“I just wanted to rip the band aid off and tell people, I didn’t want to let in linger and feel more emotional. <br /><br />“After you let people know, be clear with what you and do not want. <br /><br />“I told my parents I don’t want you to cry around me, they can cry in a different room.<br /><br />"If someone you know has cancer don’t respond with my grandad had cancer he died – it's unkind.<br /><br />“I imagine Kate would have to very selfless in the way she told her family to put their wellbeing fist.” <br /><br />Kristen went to hospital in April 2021 when she had chest pain.<br /><br />She said: “I started having really bad chest pain, they shrugged it off at first which happens a lot for young women, but the pain was getting worse.” <br /><br />Kristen was diagnosed in November 2021 with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and started chemotherapy in December of the same year - after freezing her eggs.<br /><br />She got the clear on April 19th, 2022, and is two years in remission, but there is still a chance the cancer could return.<br /><br />Kristen said: “One of the misconceptions of survivorship is that being in remission means I am okay. <br /><br />“Another avenue of survivorship is this feeling of PTSD and survival mode. <br /><br />"People expect you to bounce back but it's not like that. Survivorship you’re just left on your own.” <br /><br />Now Kristen aims to educate people on the right approach for people with cancer - she says it's key to let them be upset, angry and depressed.<br /><br />She said: “If they say they are having a rough day, let them have a rough day. Of course we want our loved one to be happy. <br /><br />“Saying things like 'look on the bright side' isn’t helpful sometimes. Of course there will be a brightside but you can have down days.<br /><br />“The first month can be intense. Getting flooded with messages asking if they need anything after the first month - that goes away.<br /><br />"If you want to be the person for that patient to rely on you need to show up after that first month. <br /><br />“It can be a burden to figure out what can help or what I need. <br /><br />“If you are going to the store and see a deal with my favourite snacks, then drop them off. <br /><br />“Actions are important, those kinds of things.” <br /><br />Kristen said having her group of friends including her in
