Posts tagged ‘Sean Kent’
‘My cancer diagnosis: The glorious ending’ – Sean Kent
One in a series of stories asking former patients to reflect upon their experience …
We asked comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent to look back at the time of his diagnosis, and ask himself, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? What wisdom, soothing words or practical tips, would you give your newly diagnosed self?
Comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent with his wife and two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Sean Kent)
He responded with so much good advice that we’re posting it in six installments. The first installment was about guilt, the second about food, the third about the hospital buddy, the fourth about patients vs. patience, the fifth about speaking up for yourself.
Here’s the sixth, titled “The Glorious Ending.”
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Last, I want to tell you something that’s not in the “wish I’d known” category, but I feel it’s something you should hear. Continue reading “‘My cancer diagnosis: The glorious ending’ – Sean Kent” »
‘My cancer diagnosis: Advocate for your comfort’ – Sean Kent
One in a series of stories asking former patients to reflect upon their experience …
We asked comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent to look back at the time of his diagnosis, and ask himself, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? What wisdom, soothing words or practical tips, would you give your newly diagnosed self?
Comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent with his wife and two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Sean Kent)
He responded with so much good advice that we’re posting it in six installments. The first installment was about guilt, the second about food, the third about the hospital buddy, the fourth about patients vs. patience.
Here’s the fifth part, titled “Advocate for Your Comfort.”
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If you feel something – SAY SOMETHING.
There are a million drugs or treatments they can give you for discomfort now. If the pills you’re on for nausea don’t work, call your doctor at his house and yell at him until he writes you a new prescription and brings it to your house. Continue reading “‘My cancer diagnosis: Advocate for your comfort’ – Sean Kent” »
‘My cancer diagnosis: Patients/patience’ – Sean Kent
One in a series of stories asking former patients to reflect upon their experience …
Comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent with his wife and two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Sean Kent)
We asked comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent to look back at the time of his diagnosis, and ask himself, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? What wisdom, soothing words or practical tips would you give your newly diagnosed self?
He responded with so much good advice that we’re posting it in six installments. The first installment was about guilt, the second about food, the third about the hospital buddy.
Here’s the fourth part, titled “Patients/Patience.”
**
There’s a reason they call you a “patient.” It’s because you’re going to need to be patient. Continue reading “‘My cancer diagnosis: Patients/patience’ – Sean Kent” »
‘My cancer diagnosis: The hospital buddy’ – Sean Kent
One in a series of stories asking former patients to reflect upon their experience …
We asked comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent to look back at the time of his diagnosis, and ask himself, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? What wisdom, soothing words or practical tips would you give your newly diagnosed self?
Comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent with his wife and two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Sean Kent)
He responded with so much good advice that we’re posting it in six installments. The first installment was about guilt, the second about food.
Here’s the third part, titled “The Hospital Buddy.”
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Never be in the hospital alone.
The nurses and doctors on your team do the best they can, but the sheer volume of meds you’re on and the patients they deal with will invariably lead to mistakes. I’m not talking about fatal ones, but ones you don’t want to go through as they may cause a range of symptoms from discomfort to hours of needless suffering. Continue reading “‘My cancer diagnosis: The hospital buddy’ – Sean Kent” »
‘My cancer diagnosis: Food’ – Sean Kent
One in a series of stories asking former patients to reflect upon their experience …
We asked comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent to look back at the time of his diagnosis, and ask himself, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? What wisdom, soothing words or practical tips would you give your newly diagnosed self?
Comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent with his wife and two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Sean Kent)
He responded with so much good advice that we’re posting it in six installments. The first installment was about guilt.
Here’s the second part, titled “Food.”
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Eat what you want!
Chemo does weird things to your mouth besides the sores. Oh, those wonderful sores …
Continue reading “‘My cancer diagnosis: Food’ – Sean Kent” »
‘My cancer diagnosis: Guilt’ – Sean Kent
One in a series of stories asking former patients to reflect upon their experience …
As a stand-up comedian for nearly two decades, Sean Kent has delivered his fiercely honest and darkly funny observations to audiences around the world. Yet perhaps nowhere does he connect as well – and as deeply – as he does with audiences at City of Hope.
Comedian and former Hodgkin lymphoma patient Sean Kent with his wife and two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Sean Kent)
“Speaking at the City of Hope Reunion tomorrow,” Kent tweeted from @seankent to his minions last spring. “Thousands of cancer survivors celebrating our collective existence. My fav gig every year.”
He has earned street cred with the disparate crowd at the reunion because they all have gone through the same crucible: cancer treatment. This year marks his 10th year as a cancer survivor – and his eighth year headlining the annual Celebration of Life Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion.
Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Kent came to Hollywood in 1994 to pursue acting and stand-up. For years he paid his dues, performing in local comedy clubs and sleeping in his car and on friends’ couches. Finally he landed his first break, as a writer on Fox Sports Net’s “The Best Damn Sports Show Period.”
Soon, however, he started noticing “lots of little tumors” on his neck but, lacking health insurance, he kept working. Finally, when he became too tired to finish a jog one day, he went to a doctor – and was diagnosed with stage III Hodgkin lymphoma.
Kent started chemotherapy while continuing to keep up 60-hour work weeks. After a punishing three months, he was told he was in remission.
In the meantime, he got his second Hollywood break on NBC’s reality show “Last Comic Standing,” wearing a cowboy hat to conceal his stubbly new hair. Before the show aired, however, the lymphoma returned and his only shot at survival was a bone marrow transplant. He came to City of Hope under the care of Neil Kogut, M.D., director, City of Hope-Kaiser Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Program.
Kent says the recurrence hit him nearly as hard as the original diagnosis. “It was a like a bomb going off in my life. I had to watch everyone around me, everyone who cared for me, suffer because of my cancer. It was a little, private hell.”
In an interview with Major League Baseball for ThinkCure, the Dodgers charity that raises money for research at City of Hope and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Kent recalled that when he was a patient he suspended his comedic bravado to survive the rigors of treatment.
This year, as he celebrates a decade of survivorship, 38-year- old Kent is happily married and has two young daughters. He has resumed his ambitious performing schedule and already has penciled in May 10 for City of Hope’s 37th annual BMT reunion.
We asked Kent to look back at the time of his diagnosis, and ask himself, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? What wisdom, soothing words, practical tips or old-fashioned advice would you give your newly diagnosed self?
He responded with so much good advice that we’re posting it in six installments. Following is the first, titled “Guilt.” Continue reading “‘My cancer diagnosis: Guilt’ – Sean Kent” »
