When you’re diagnosed with a serious illness—like breast cancer or heart disease—it affects more than just your body. It can stir up deep emotions, shift your thoughts, and unsettle your sense of safety. You may feel overwhelmed, afraid, or even emotionally numb. These responses are normal—and deeply human.

These reactions are part of a built‑in survival system known as the fight, flight, or freeze response. It’s hardwired into all of us to help protect when we sense danger—or under significant stress. When you’re living with a serious illness, that same system can leave you feeling stuck or emotionally exhausted, especially when recovery feels like a long path.

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If you or a loved one is living with a serious illness like cancer or Parkinson’s disease, you may have thought about trying a vitamin, herbal remedy, acupuncture, or other complementary therapy to support your care. This is called integrative medicine, which is when a complementary therapy is used alongside conventional medical treatments to help manage symptoms, improve quality of life, or feel more in control.

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When you’re living with a serious illness, it can feel like everything is happening at once—new symptoms, medications, side effects, tons of doctor appointments, paperwork, and big questions about what comes next. You might have received different advice from multiple doctors. Or maybe you’re not sure who to call if something goes wrong.

That’s where palliative care comes in. One of the most important things a palliative care team does is create a care plan that is clear and individualized, reflecting your needs, preferences, and goals.

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If you or a loved one are living with a serious illness, you may have experienced feeling overwhelmed or isolated by all of the bumps in the road. Just know that while you may feel alone at times (even in the company of your loved ones), you’re not. There are lots of other people going through similar experiences and feeling the same way.   

That’s why many disease-specific organizations offer support groups, to help people to connect, share what’s going on, and find comfort in the community. (You never know who you are going to meet! You may just meet a friend you’ll stay in touch with for years to come.)  

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Living with a serious illness—like cancer, heart failure, or kidney disease—can take a major toll on your body and your mind. And when sleep is hard to come by, everything can feel even harder.  Sleep isn’t just about rest. It’s an important part of healing. Good sleep helps your body recover, improves your mood, and makes it easier to think clearly and manage symptoms. 

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As we shared in a recent blog post, hearing personal stories is tremendously helpful when learning about the positive impacts of palliative care—especially when it has helped so many people improve their quality of life. In this blog post, we’re sharing two more stories from patients who are living well with serious illness, due to the support received by the palliative care team. Read and watch their stories below!

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Recorded: Thursday, February 20, 2025 at the APDA Virtual Parkinson’s Conference 2025

Presenter: Andrew Esch, MD, MBA

Description: In this on-demand presentation, learn about how palliative care can help you or a loved one living with Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Esch explains palliative care, what to expect during your first appointment, questions to ask your provider, how palliative care helps caregivers, and much more. Dr. Esch also answers live questions from the audience.

Listen and watch on-demand

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Sometimes, reading about how palliative care can improve the quality of life of people living with serious illness may not be enough. Being able to listen to someone’s story can make all the difference. That’s why we’re excited to share a new series of videos from patients and caregivers who are now thriving, thanks to the support of their palliative care teams. Read and watch their stories below, and then later hear from two other patients.

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