How Sheryl Crow's Breast Cancer Diagnosis Changed Her Life

There is no doubt that a cancer diagnosis of any kind is a life-changing experience. It is terrifying and for many can result in a total reanalysis of their life. It can change daily activity, social interactions, the way a family functions, and professional life. It can prompt women to examine their values and really think about what is important to them. Breast cancer diagnoses are times full of fear, uncertainty, confusion, and change.

Recently, singer Sheryl Crow opened up about her experience with breast cancer.

Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over ten years ago, and it changed her life. Recently she opened up about what these changes entailed. She said that, "After I found out I had breast cancer, it made me redefine and refine my life. I want to encourage everybody to quiet your brain, even if it is just for five minutes a day, so that you are able to tap into the divine and what is for you." Being present is difficult in today’s busy world. We are constantly connected with technology and most of us juggle a thousand responsibilities at once. Taking time to just be with yourself and appreciate life is important. Sheryl Crow said that “As women, we are so good at taking care of everybody that we put ourselves at the bottom. I learned how to say ‘no.’ I started listening to myself and prioritizing.”

Her experience with breast cancer made her think about how she actually wanted to spend her time. Most of us spread ourselves quite thin and do not do what we actually want to. Life is too short to not listen to ourselves. The 55-year-old also said that she feels young at heart even though she is not a fan of aging. "I don’t like watching myself, and part of it is because I don’t love aging. I still feel super young and as excited and on fire about music and life as I ever have I feel more connected to who I am than I ever have in life. If compassion isn’t the basis of everything you do in your life, then you’re short-changing yourself and others." Many women who have battled breast cancer say that the experience changes the way that they look at life.

Other inspirational breast cancer stories

In 2012, Redbook magazine did a piece on how breast cancer changed the lives of some women. These women talked about how breast cancer made them appreciate life in new ways. Like Sheryl Crow, one woman said that the diagnosis helped her realize what was actually important to her. She found herself being more open with her feelings towards friends and family and not “sweating the small stuff.”

One woman felt inspired to raise awareness when she was diagnosed. Initially she felt that this was something personal and that she felt she should keep to herself. Thelma Sessions says that this initial feeling was likely due to her southern upbringing. Ultimately, she ended up sharing her experience and information with everyone around her. She discussed the signs and symptoms of her specific type of breast cancer (inflammatory breast cancer) with anyone who would listen. She spoke to a room full of sorority sisters as well as the predominately male board of a nonprofit that she worked with. She encouraged the congregation at her church to share the information she shared with them. About this change in behavior, Sessions says, “I am more open in general now—if you can discuss your breasts with perfect strangers, you can share anything.”

We hear this all the time: laughter is the best medicine. For one breast cancer survivor, this proved to be true while she was battling the disease. Lorie Lavinson said that some of the funniest moments with her family occurred during this dark journey. At one point while her family was at an amusement park she had to frantically grab both sides of her wig to keep it from flying off during a ride. Now her cancer is gone and her hair is back, but those times of intense laughter shared with loved ones were truly a light in the darkness.

One woman discusses how trusting your gut can save your life. Jamie Mach had a negative mammogram in 2010 after feeling a lump in her breast, but she still felt like something was wrong. She trusted her gut and sought a second opinion. The radiologist said she had dense breasts which can make it more difficult to find cancer. Standard practice if you cannot get a good view with a mammogram is to move to an ultrasound. Jamie got one after her second mammogram. Though the results came back negative again, this time it was her physician and radiologist who trusted their gut. They removed the lump and testing showed that it was stage I breast cancer. Jamie’s message to other women is to trust your intuition.
After her diagnosis, Lauren Magliaro realized that seizing the moment throughout life is important. We all spend so much time planning for our future and saying, “we’ll do it later” or “someday.” While security is important, you never know what you could miss out on. Lauren says that she and her husband didn’t take a vacation for three years before her diagnosis. As soon as her treatments stopped, they seized the day and took their dream family vacation to Disney World.

The shock and devastation that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis is felt by most who receive it. Like many others, Gina Luna’s big concern was how to break the news to her teenage children. She and her husband decided the best protocol was to be as honest as possible. They broke the news to their children, and by being honest her kids we able to cope and process things one step at a time. There were no questions other than uncertainties that they were all coping with together. Honesty can help the family stay united and supportive during frightening times.

For one woman, her battle with breast cancer prompted her to jump outside of her comfort zone and make a difference in the African American breast cancer community. Dorothy Reed ended up founding the Sisters Network in central New Jersey with three other breast cancer survivors. She then completed her college degree and now her organization host events at churches, schools, and other public facilities, where they work to educate and raise awareness about breast cancer. This did not come easy for her though. She was worried that she would be too shy, and did not have enough money. Ultimately her breast cancer diagnosis motivated her to help others, get her bachelor’s degree, and start an organization.

While a breast cancer diagnosis is terrifying and certainly has a negative impact on the lives of the people affected by it, there are some positive things that can come out of the experience. Learning to prioritize your life and live each day with a little more love can only bring you more joy.