Promote charity and charity for cancer patients! Zhu Xinyi attended the "2024 Global Health Industry Cross-Domain Forum" to reveal her anti-cancer journey
The 38-year-old actress Zhu Xinyi, who is famous for her role in the TV series “Sharp Wife”, was shocked to be diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2021. She is strong and cheerful and confessed her diagnosis experience in a self-filmed video. She even showed signs of possible recurrence after treatment. She is still actively recovering and publishing a book to reveal her story. The tenacity and vitality inspire the anti-cancer fighting spirit of many cancer patients.
In order to echo the friendship of cancer patients and promote health equality, Zhu Xinyi took over the position of the cancer friendliness ambassador of the “2024 Global Health Industry Innovation Cross-Domain Forum”. In an exclusive interview, she revealed her true voice as a patient and public figure. She not only cares about affecting cancer patients The financial pressure on insurance claims has prompted 900,000 cancer-affected families to step forward and call on the public to be more considerate and empathetic in their lives, so that the entire society can continue to move forward towards being cancer-friendly.
Chief Editor Guo Jiahe: What are the differences in views on cancer before and after cancer?
Xinyi: Even now after treatment, I still occasionally experience hair loss. Recently, my son is very surprised to see that I often lose my hair! I want to say that I am a cancer patient. It should be normal if I lose some hair?! Unexpectedly, my husband also added: “You are obviously very healthy now.” My family seems to have forgotten that I am a cancer patient and treats me as an “ordinary person” , actually I am very happy.
What was the biggest emotional change before and after you got cancer? I think I will cherish the things I lost before. For example, I lost my hair in the early stages of treatment, so I had to shave my head. I even lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes. Nowadays, even if I have super short hair, I feel that I cherish it very much. Even if I can’t dye my hair like before, it doesn’t matter.
Chief Editor Guo Jiahe: In addition to appearance, what are the most obvious changes in mentality?
Xinyi: You may think that I am very optimistic and positive. In fact, during my illness, I was often angry with myself for a period of time because all my hair fell out and my body functions were not as good as before. Also, I was very closed-minded at home and could not read anything. If you don’t like it, it’s really “cynical”.
For example, when the epidemic was first lifted, many relatives and friends went abroad to travel, but I could only stay at home. Even Yilan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung I didn’t go to because of my physical strength. At that time, I felt too unbalanced. Later, my mood improved a lot and changed a lot. Now when I see my friends posting travel photos on social media, I feel like I am watching a location program. It is very exciting, and I can enjoy the beautiful scenery of various countries without spending money. The jealousy or resentment at that time was gone. Looking back on it, I really looked disgusting at that time! But in fact, I know that I am not such a person, but when I am sick, sometimes even I don’t understand why I have those thoughts at the moment.
Editor-in-Chief Guo Jiahe: What is the most painful thing in the process of cancer?
Xinyi: In fact, physical strength has a great impact. We cannot walk as freely as ordinary people. Sometimes even crossing the road is very difficult. Especially the roads in Taipei are very big and the cars drive very fast. Sometimes I can’t walk past the little green men no matter how long the seconds are. I really feel like an old lady in her twilight years. Only then do I understand why. The elderly get on and off the bus first because they may not be able to get off!
In addition, although I wear a wig when I go out, a gust of wind often blows the wig away, and I don’t have the energy to run to pick it up. That situation is really hard.
Chief Editor Guo Jiahe: It is inevitable to have negative emotions when you are sick. What keeps you so optimistic and positive?
Xinyi: If I really want to talk about my motivation in fighting cancer, it should be my sense of mission to “encourage others”! I had just been diagnosed at that time, and I uploaded two videos to the channel. They were full of encouragement and resonance from netizens, and many of them were not patients, but their family members or medical staff, which made me see many things I had never thought of. .
Because some cancer patients have been sick for a long time, they will inevitably feel that treatment is really tiring and want to give up; but their family members and relatives do not want to give up, and are worried that the patients will lose their courage. My video can give them some courage or It’s strength, I think it’s a big, big feedback. I want to say to the cancer friends who are fighting the disease: Even Zhu Xinyi can do it, you can do it too!
Chief Editor Guo Jiahe: Do you think Taiwan is friendly to cancer patients? What else could be done better?
Xinyi: The most profound memory I had was when I met a mother who was about the same age as me. When I was about to cross the road, she looked at me with a strange look and pulled her child aside. My first reaction was to examine myself and ask, does my face look swollen? I’m not wearing a wig? But I didn’t come out bare-headed. Why are you looking at me like this?
I think most Taiwanese people are friendly to cancer patients, but maybe because of the pace of life or occasionally the weather, people can easily become impatient with the people and things around them. Especially in the fast-paced metropolis of Taipei, even if you drive slowly, you will be honked at. Elderly people or cancer patients with slower reaction times are more likely to feel this pressure. I think the hotter the weather is, the more we need to calm down and be more patient and tolerant. Many people around you may have unknown illnesses, but they just can’t see it.
Editor-in-Chief Guo Jiahe: Are there any issues that you worry about for cancer patients or want to speak out for them?
Xinyi: Just like previous news reports, there are limits on claims for major diseases such as cancer. But from the perspective of a cancer patient, isn’t it people’s basic right to plan assets in advance when you are healthy to avoid being unable to survive when you are sick? If you can afford it at that time, you can buy insurance for yourself or your family in advance just to be prepared for emergencies. However, the current regulations do not seem to take into consideration the families of cancer patients.
For example, I am a cancer patient today. I am unable to go to work because of my illness. I am even single without parents or significant other to take care of me. When I finish the treatment, I basically have no living expenses… I even have difficulty eating and cannot pay the rent. , if they can’t even get the insurance premium, how can they live? What’s more, cancer is becoming more and more like a chronic disease. You may have to live with this disease for 2 to 30 years in the future, and insurance claims limits must be limited. Do we really have social policies that are friendly enough to cancer patients?
Editor-in-Chief Guo Jiahe: Finally, as the cancer friendly ambassador of this year’s Great Health Forum, I would like to ask Xinyi to say a few words of encouragement to cancer friends.
Xinyi: In fact, what I feel most sad about is that there are some children who have to face huge changes in their families at a young age because their family members have cancer. In the news before, there was a story about a young girl whose mother was seriously ill and hospitalized. Her father had two types of cancer. Due to family problems, there was no way to properly treat her. Later, this case was reported, and many kind-hearted people poured in. I felt very touched. This is similar to my original intention of making the video. Everyone must be in need of help at some point. I hope these cases can be overcome with the help of kind-hearted people in society. Get through it.
If you are like me and unfortunately get sick, don’t be too sad or choose to escape; whether it is breast cancer or other cancers, medical treatment is very advanced now. As long as you cooperate with doctors’ regular treatment, you may even have a chance to live as healthy as a normal person. Never give up easily.
Chief Editor Guo Jiahe: What changes do you think cancer patients can make to improve their quality of life?
Xinyi: I think modern people really need to resolve their inner discomfort and unhappiness. Depressed emotions will affect overall health and may also give cancer cells an opportunity to take advantage of them. There are many ways to change your mood, such as exercise and healthy social interactions. Some cancers are related to obesity or excessive body fat. Therefore, exercise not only improves your mood, but also has the effect of losing weight, keeping your body away from cancer, and killing multiple birds with one stone.
Thanks to healthorn and the Taiwan Cancer Rehabilitation and Prevention Association for the invitation, I have the opportunity to share with you my journey in the fight against cancer. We look forward to meeting you all at the “2024 Global Health Industry Innovation Cross-Domain Forum” on September 3!
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