Health
Florida doctor reveals his own cancer journey to help others handle the emotions a diagnosis brings
With more than two million new cases of cancer expected in 2024, a Florida physician who survived the disease wants to help others navigate the terrain of a life-changing diagnosis.
Dr. Chris Scuderi, who practices at Millennium Physician Group in Jacksonville, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in Nov. 2020 — at the end of a challenging year amid the COVID pandemic.
“My diagnosis came as a great surprise because I was in my mid-40s, had no family history, worked out almost every day and overall ate a very healthy diet,” Scuderi told Fox News Digital in an interview.
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Scuderi had none of the risk factors or typical symptoms normally associated with bladder cancer.
“I thought I had food poisoning,” he said.
A cancer diagnosis can come with a wide range of overwhelming emotions, survivors shared with Fox News Digital. (iStock)
He underwent surgery a week after the diagnosis and then completed a year’s worth of chemotherapy specifically targeted for bladder cancer.
Today, Scuderi is healthy and cancer-free. He’s made some lifestyle changes, including putting a greater emphasis on eating more plant-based foods and getting regular exercise.
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“Stress, overwork and irregular sleep were areas of my life I had to address as a physician, husband and father,” he said.
“Over the past two years, I have been using a fitness tracker to closely monitor my sleep, stress levels and recovery each day, and use this objective data to prioritize my rest.”
Emotional roller-coaster
Each patient’s emotional reaction will be different, Scuderi noted.
“The first few weeks can bring up a lot of emotions, and the unknown is extremely scary,” he said.
“You don’t know what treatment options you will have or how this will affect your life or your family members’ lives. You don’t know how this will affect your work or future plans.”
Dr. Chris Scuderi (left), who practices at Millennium Physician Group in Jacksonville, Florida, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in Nov. 2020. “Stress, overwork and irregular sleep were areas of my life I had to address as a physician, husband and father,” he said. (Dr. Chris Scuderi)
“There’s a lot to process, and it feels like your life is stopping while the rest of the world is moving forward.”
Some patients may feel grief over the loss of their health, and the abandonment of plans that must be put on hold, the doctor noted. This can also cause feelings of anger.
Denial is also a common response, as many patients resist the reality of their lives changing.
“The first few weeks can bring up a lot of emotions, and the unknown is extremely scary.”
Anxiety and fear are also typical emotions, Scuderi said, as any cancer diagnosis sparks feelings of uncertainty and unease.
“Talking with your health care team about the diagnosis, including how you feel about it and the plan for treatment and any next steps, is helpful in relieving some of that anxiety,” he said.
“It’s also common to wonder, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ or ‘Did I do something to cause this?’” the doctor added.
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“Patients may have conflicting emotions — like shock, sadness, peace, hope and fear — all at the same time. Knowing you have people on your side and a plan in place makes all the difference.”
Erin Gratsch, an Ohio mother and fitness instructor who received two breast cancer diagnoses — first in 2016, then again in 2022 — also experienced a wide range of emotions, she told Fox News Digital.
The first was shock. “How did this happen to me?”
Two-time cancer survivor Erin Gratsch, shown here, has completed nine Boston Marathons. (Erin Gratsch)
Next was guilt. “What did I do? Could I have done something to cause or prevent this?”
Anger was another prevalent emotion, especially when Gratsch’s second diagnosis arrived.
“I remember throwing my end table across the family room and it broke into pieces,” she said.
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Gratsch also experienced worry and depression, thinking things like, “Will I die? I don’t want to go through radiation or chemo. How will I pay my bills and work? I don’t want to be a burden to my family. I want to live to become a grandparent.”
Then came survival mode and hope — when Gratsch shifted her outlook to, “OK, what do I have to do to beat this?”
A big shift in perspective
Gratitude plays a big role in Scuderi’s daily routine, he said.
“Before I fall asleep, I identify three things I am grateful for specifically from that day, as I have realized now more than ever that each day is a gift,” he said.
“Many studies show how powerful gratitude is for our health, and it is easy at our current pace to miss many of the great moments and connections we had during our day if we don’t take time to reflect on them.”
It’s important to have a support team who can help you along the path from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, a doctor said. (iStock)
Scuderi has spent more time with his family and friends since his diagnosis, prioritizing travel and experiences.
To celebrate the end of his cancer treatments, he hiked the last 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago with a group of good friends.
“I identify three things I am grateful for specifically from that day.”
“Cancer changes your perspective,” he said. “Getting through a diagnosis and treatment really helps you see what is truly important. It also helped to renew the power of choice in my life.”
Scuderi’s triumph over cancer has also strengthened his belief in the importance of encouragement.
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“There were many people who kept me up during my diagnosis, surgery and treatments,” he told Fox News Digital. “It has since become a mission of mine to encourage others.”
He also emphasized that growth even post-cancer is not linear. “It is sometimes two steps forward and one step back.”
Tips for dealing with post-diagnosis emotions
For those who have just received a diagnosis, Scuderi and Gratsch offer tips for navigating those first days and weeks.
Communicate with your care team
“Talking with your family physician, oncologist and other members of your treatment team will be helpful in managing any anxiety and uncertainty around the diagnosis and fear of what’s next,” said Scuderi.
“Many patients notice their stress lessens when they know what they need to do, and how to take back control of their health.”
“Cancer takes a lot from you — but running and exercising was one thing I could do to feel good about myself,” said Gratsch. (Denise F Photography/Denise Haney)
In Scuderi’s case, the urologist who led his care has been “a huge part” of this journey.
“It is important to have a team that you can communicate well with and trust,” he added.
Getting a professional second opinion can also help patients feel they’re making the most informed decisions in their care, Gratsch said.
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“This gives the patient confidence that they are making the right decisions knowing both doctors are recommending the same plan,” she said. “Also, you may get additional advice or information from the second doctor that you didn’t get from the first.”
Build a non-medical support team
In addition to talking with your treatment team, Scuderi said it’s essential to have a support team of loved ones who can help you along the path from diagnosis to treatment and recovery.
“Don’t be afraid to lean on them when you need extra support,” he said. “It’s OK to be honest — a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming no matter what, and sharing your fears with others can lighten the mental toll so you can put all your energy toward your recovery.”
Getting a professional second opinion can also help patients feel they’re making the most informed decisions in their care, a survivor shared with Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Gratsch echoed the advice to allow others to take care of you.
“Take advantage of local resources,” she said. “Social workers, hospitals and oncology offices can refer patients for help with financial support, emotional support groups, rides to treatment and meals.”
Keep up with physical exercise as much as possible
“You may not be able to exercise as intensely as you did previously, but a 20- to 30-minute walk is a great way to relieve stress and feel better,” Scuderi said.
“Being outside when possible may also have benefits to improve our immune systems. Talk with your team about which exercises are best for you.”
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Over the course of her cancer journey — through multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation — Gratsch, an avid runner, maintained about five marathons per year.
“Cancer takes a lot from you — but running and exercising was one thing I could do to feel good about myself,” she said.
Continue doing things you enjoy
Pursuing enjoyable hobbies and activities will help to maintain a sense of routine and keep your spirits up, Scuderi said.
To maintain a sense of routine and keep your spirits up, pursuing enjoyable hobbies and activities will help, a doctor said. (iStock)
“Sometimes patients with serious illnesses can become depressed due to the emotional toll of cancer, chemotherapy and being in hospital settings, so staying close to your hobbies and loved ones will help reduce these feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” he said.
Focus on the present day
“It’s so important to stay in each day and not get caught up in worrying too much about tomorrow or living in the regret of yesterday,” Scuderi said.
“Cancer recovery takes a lot of energy — and my patients who do their best to be present in each day seem to do better.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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Research continues to uncover new details on how fasting may help extend life.
A new study published in the journal Nature Communications investigated how intermittent fasting can boost longevity in small worms often used in aging research.
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared worms that were fed normally to those that underwent a 24-hour fast in early adulthood and were then fed again, according to a press release.
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The scientists measured a variety of factors, including stored fat, gene activity related to fat metabolism and lifespan.
The results showed that the life-boosting benefit did not depend on the fasting itself but on the body’s behavior after eating again.
Experts say sustainability is key when choosing a long-term weight-loss strategy. (iStock)
Study lead Peter Douglas, associate professor of molecular biology and a member of the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine at UT Southwestern, suggested that these discoveries “shift the focus toward a neglected side of the metabolic coin – the re-feeding phase.”
“Our data suggest that the health-promoting effects of intermittent fasting are not merely a product of the fast itself, but are dependent on how the metabolic machinery recalibrates during the subsequent transition back to a fed state,” he said.
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“Our findings bridge a gap between lipid metabolism and aging research,” he added. “By targeting aging, the single greatest risk factor for human disease, we move beyond treating isolated conditions toward a preventive model of medicine that enhances quality of life for all individuals.”
Lauri Wright, director of nutrition programs at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, called this a “high-quality” study that adds an “important nuance to how we think about fasting and longevity.”
Intermittent fasting typically involves limiting meals to an eight-hour daily window or fasting every other day. (iStock)
The benefits of the refeeding phase after fasting were “especially interesting,” Wright, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“The researchers showed that longevity was linked to the body’s ability to turn off fat breakdown after fasting, allowing cells to restore energy balance,” she reiterated.
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“From a scientific standpoint, that’s a meaningful shift because it suggests fasting is not just about burning fat, but about metabolic flexibility.”
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Fasting may support longevity through triggering metabolic switching, enhancing cellular repair and stress resistance and improving markers like insulin sensitivity, research shows.
Limitations and cautions
Although this study provides “important insight” on the power of refeeding, Wright noted that the findings should be approached with caution, as the study was done on worms and cannot always be translated to humans.
“Additionally, it explains how a process might work in a controlled lab condition rather than real-world eating behaviors,” she added as a limitation. “Finally, the study is short-term and doesn’t give us the long-term translation on lifespan outcomes.”
The review found intermittent fasting was barely more effective than doing nothing, according to the study authors. (iStock)
Wright cautioned that fasting is “not a magic solution for longevity, and how you eat overall matters more than when you eat.”
“I advise, first and foremost, to focus on diet quality, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and minimally processed foods,” she said.
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For those who are considering fasting, it’s better to stick with a moderate plan — like a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast — rather than going to extremes, Wright said. After fasting, she recommends focusing on well-balanced meals.
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Several groups of people should be cautioned against fasting, according to Wright, including those with diabetes who are on insulin or hypoglycemic medications, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a history of eating disorders and older adults at risk of malnutrition.
Anyone considering intermittent fasting should consult with a doctor before starting.
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