The “after” is as important as the “during”.

At a check-up in May 2018, then aged 56, I was found to have a small tumour in my left breast. My life changed in 24 hours… Tumorectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. All treatments and care were completed by mid-December. Long live Switzerland and my insurance!

Seven months of tsunami, of relay race, of abandoning my immediate projects, of doubt, of hope, of laughter, of tears, (…).

I was lucky enough to be well surrounded, in a peaceful and caring environment. My only concern was the success of my treatment protocol.

During this journey, I was unprepared to deal with the pain, the glitches associated with side effects, the sadness and anguish that you can’t always share with your loved ones because they need help too. At times, I even found myself in the role of the encourage

The OTIUM Center was created just as I was starting my treatments, but I found out much later. I was able to join him in early 2019. The “after” is just as important as the “during”. Nicolas Herrmann changed my life by introducing me to meditation. My convalescence was enriched and made easier.

But it’s true that to have been able to count on benevolent, non-medical support would have been a “plus plus plus” throughout my treatment period!

I’ve sometimes suffered from the lack of empathy and coldness of certain caregivers who save lives but don’t always have the necessary listening skills. Rapid care is what’s needed, but we find ourselves in a whirlwind of emotions and questions that are beyond our understanding. We feel out of control and we trust. I’m grateful for everything my excellent doctors have accomplished with their medical knowledge. They saved me… That’s no mean feat! They can’t do everything, and the emotional shock must be dealt with elsewhere.

In the case of cancer, when death visits us in a certain way, we need to treat both body and soul. The OTIUM Center takes care of this second aspect.

I was able to benefit from the Center’s support for about a year and then chose to move away for a while. Personally, I think you also need to know how to free yourself from cancer. Recently, I returned to one of the online meditation groups. The pandemic has brought back a few anxieties…

Thank you OTIUM! Thanks to Linda, Rose, the whole team and the donors who make this “essential service” possible.