TWO-THIRDS OF cancer survivors did something they had never done before since being diagnosed with the disease, according to a study on how having the illness caused people to re-evaluate their lives.
Half of survivors got involved with a charity following diagnosis, while more than a third went on a dream holiday.
The figures, disclosed by the Scottish Government’s £30 million Detect Cancer Early campaign, offer a snapshot of how having cancer often changes people’s lives or their view on life.
Those affected felt a renewed sense of the importance of family and loved ones in their lives. Three-quarters say their children made them keep going while getting treatment for cancer and 71% say their partner motivated them to get through the tough times.
Some 44% of survivors appreciate their life because they lived to see the birth of their grandchildren and a third say that seeing their children graduate made them glad to be alive.
Almost two-thirds spent quality time with their family following diagnosis and 35% told people that they loved them.
Survivors also treated themselves to one-off experiences, with 39% going on a dream holiday and 43% visiting a major tourist attraction they had always wanted to see.
Other things people did following diagnosis include ending an unhappy marriage, starting a business and learning to play the piano.