Tim Sohn of ‘Showing Up: Perspectives On Cancer’: I Survived Cancer and Here Is How I Did It
An Interview With Savio P. Clemente
A Positive Mindset — If we’re going to beat cancer, we need to choose to have a positive mindset. I want to share a story with you about this. In 2021, I was going for an oncologist appointment. Previously, I went for several appointments and the percentage of leukemia cells in my body was increasing for each of four appointments consecutively. So, I was extremely nervous that the next appointment was going to be even higher, and then we would have to make some decisions. It turned out that next test he did showed that I was no evidence of disease. I was worrying all that time for nothing.
Cancer is a horrible and terrifying disease. Yet millions of people have beaten the odds and beat cancer. Authority Magazine started a new series called “I Survived Cancer and Here Is How I Did It”. In this interview series, we are talking to cancer survivors to share their stories, in order to offer hope and provide strength to people who are being impacted by cancer today. As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tim Sohn.
Tim Sohn is a 15+ year survivor of chronic myeloid leukemia. He is also host of the show and movement Showing Up: Perspectives On Cancer, a safe space where cancer survivors and cancer supporters come together to share their stories and connect, as well as find resources that provide healing, hope, and resilience. He started sharing his cancer story in June of 2021.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! We really appreciate the courage it takes to publicly share your story. Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?
Absolutely — I grew up in Astoria, Queens, New York City, and lived there until the end up third grade. I’m the oldest of three children. I have two sisters — Eileen and Mary. Mary died when she was 7 years old from a sudden brain aneurysm. That was really hard on the whole family. After living in New York City, we moved about 1 ½ hours north of the city to Lake Carmel, N.Y. I went to college in Connecticut and got my B.A. in Spanish — I originally wanted to become a high school Spanish teacher, but I joined the college newspaper and ended up working in journalism for more than a decade at newspapers all across the country. While I was working in journalism is when I found out I had cancer.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“You can’t wait until life’s not hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” This quote was said by Jane Marczewski, aka Nightbirde, who audiitioned on AGT (America’s Got Talent). Even in the midst of struggling with cancer, whether it’s physically or mentally, we get to choose our mindset — we get to choose if we’re going to choose happy.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about surviving cancer. Do you feel comfortable sharing with us the story surrounding how you found out that you had cancer?
In 2008, when I was 26 years old, I discovered some purple bruises on my leg. I never had anything like this before, so I called my primary care physician. He had me come into his office, and he did some bloodwork. He called me up, and told me I need to go to the hospital right away! So, I went. I was in the hospital for four days. I had 400,000 white blood cells in my body! In that time period, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, and my treatment plan was to take Gleevec, a chemotherapy pill that I would have to take for the rest of my life (or something similar to it).
What was the scariest part of that event? What did you think was the worst thing that could happen to you?
The scariest part for me was the unknown. Looking back, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it was cancer. Lots of people in my extended family have passed from cancer or have had or have cancer. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know anything specifically about leukemia. I knew that my uncle had passed from a blood cancer, and I knew that a student in my elementary school had died from leukemia. That was the extent of my knowledge of leukemia or blood cancers. So, my initial reaction was fear, then questions, lots of questions. The worst thing that I thought could happen to me — at least initially — was that I could die.
How did you react in the short term?
In the short term, I was in shock.
After the dust settled, what coping mechanisms did you use? What did you do to cope physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?
Family was extremely supportive. I also walked a lot.
Is there a particular person you are grateful towards who helped you learn to cope and heal? Can you share a story about that?
Both of my parents were extremely supportive when I was diagnosed and continue to be (I found out in December of 2021 that I am no evidence of disease).
In my own cancer struggle, I sometimes used the idea of embodiment to help me cope. Let’s take a minute to look at cancer from an embodiment perspective. If your cancer had a message for you, what do you think it would want or say?
My cancer would say — you got this! My cancer would say — what took you so long to share your story? I started sharing my cancer story after almost 15 years — in June of 2021. I had never planned to share my story because I have been blessed to feel great for most of my cancer journey. I felt, who am I to share my story when so many others who have cancer are struggling? I felt guilt.
What did you learn about yourself from this very difficult experience? How has cancer shaped your worldview? What has it taught you that you might never have considered before? Can you please explain with a story or example?
To be honest, my experience with cancer was not very difficult. I have been blessed to feel well most of my cancer journey. In December of 2021 I found out that I’m now cancer free, and that definitely changed my views. It lit a fire under me to want to help the cancer community more.
Being diagnosed with cancer definitely made me appreciate life more, the little moments, and before, I would’ve had my phone out to take photos often to capture moments, lately, I just want to be in the moment.
How have you used your experience to bring goodness to the world?
Indeed — In November of 2021 I created the global Showing Up: Perspectives On Cancer weekly livestreamed show with Kara Oelker (my co-host now is Erica Campbell), a safe space where cancer survivors and cancer supporters come together to share their stories and connect, as well as find resources that provide healing, hope, and resilience. On Nov. 5, 2022, we’ll be holding our 52nd episode in person, and Savio Clemente will be our guest. It will be our first in person (and livestreamed) episode of the show). I really consider Showing Up: Perspectives On Cancer to be a movement. The show was the first part of the movement, the in person event the second, and stay tuned for more announcements coming soon.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experiences and knowledge, what advice would you give to others who have recently been diagnosed with cancer? What are your “5 Things You Need To Beat Cancer? Please share a story or example for each.
I believe the 5 Things You Need to Beat Cancer are:
- Knowledge — it’s so important to have all the information you need before making important decisions such as what is the right treatment plan for you — a traditional treatment plan, an alternative plan, a combination of both or none. Hear what your oncologist has to say, maybe there are other professionals you want to get advice from, and if you have the resources available, get a second and even a third opinion. Also, ask other cancer patients or survivors for advice. I remember, when I was diagnosed they wanted to put me on a clinical trial for a medication that had never been tried an anybody else before. My sister was great with asking lots of questions. We skipped that clinical trial. I ended up taking the oral chemotherapy Gleevec at first, and now I take Sprycel.
- Support from organizations. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society provided invaluable resources to me and my family. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I didn’t have insurance — I was in between jobs. They have a program called the co-pay financial assistance program that was able to help me out.
- Support from loved ones and other cancer patients and survivors. I’m blessed that my family is and continues to be so supportive. Also, nowadays, with social media and technology, it is possible to easily connect with other patients and survivors, even from around the world to receive support from.
- Nature — Personally, I love walking and nature. Nowadays, I love walking in nature by the Delaware River here in Pennsylvania, but when I was diagnosed, I walked a lot in New Jersey where I was living at the time, too.
- A Positive Mindset — If we’re going to beat cancer, we need to choose to have a positive mindset. I want to share a story with you about this. In 2021, I was going for an oncologist appointment. Previously, I went for several appointments and the percentage of leukemia cells in my body was increasing for each of four appointments consecutively. So, I was extremely nervous that the next appointment was going to be even higher, and then we would have to make some decisions. It turned out that next test he did showed that I was no evidence of disease. I was worrying all that time for nothing.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?
Exactly what I am doing already. Inspiring other cancer patients, survivors and supporters to share their stories, because by sharing their stories they are supporting others and inspiring them to share their stories as well.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
The best way to follow my work online is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsohn, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sohnsocialmediasolutions or YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsckHsNkHNpJy_x76cOVi3g.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Savio P. Clemente coaches cancer survivors to overcome the confusion and gain the clarity needed to get busy living in mind, body, and spirit. He inspires health and wellness seekers to find meaning in the “why” and cultivate resilience in their mindset. Savio is a Board Certified Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC, ACC), #1 best-selling author, syndicated columnist, podcaster, stage 3 cancer survivor, and founder of The Human Resolve LLC. He has interviewed notable celebrities and TV personalities and has been featured on Fox News, The Wrap, and has worked with Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, BuzzFeed, Food Network, WW and Bloomberg. Savio has been invited to cover numerous industry events throughout the U.S. and abroad. His mission is to provide clients, listeners, and viewers alike with tangible takeaways on how to lead a truly healthy, wealthy, and wise lifestyle. Savio pens a weekly newsletter in which he delves into secrets to living smarter by feeding your “three brains” — head, heart, and gut— in the hope of connecting the dots to those sticky parts of our nature that matter to living our best life.
