Accessing cancer treatment and making it to the other side of a diagnosis are huge accomplishments. But for many folks, quality of life is just as important, if not more so, and that’s a pervasive theme throughout this winter 2024 issue of Cancer Health.

When Matt McClain was dealing with kidney cancer and related health complications, he felt his life slipping out of control. “I would go down these multiday spirals of anxiety. It was just awful,” he recalls in our cover profile. For help, he turned to a psychotherapist, whom he still sees once a month. “That experience was life-changing,” says McClain, who was declared NED—to have no evidence of disease—in 2023. “It has helped me, not just with my cancer but with everything.” McClain shares tips on surviving the cancer roller coaster and improving quality of life.

For support and help on their cancer journeys, more folks are turning to cancer doulas. What’s that? We interview one—Talaya Dendy, also a Hodgkin lymphoma thriver—for our Your Team column. Go here to learn more.

Have you used complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or yoga, to help manage the symptoms of cancer and improve your quality of life? Share your experiences with us by taking the survey here.

Among the other offerings you’ll find in this issue, we explain the basics of clinical trials, and blogger Dann Wonser, who has survived 17 years with lung cancer, recounts his lifesaving experiences in clinical trials—and what he looks for in an excellent oncologist.

Our Care & Treatment section rounds up the latest research on lung, bladder and prostate cancers, and our News items cover celebrity diagnoses, misinformation on social media, bans on carcinogens (including menthol cigarettes and some hair relaxers) and an advance look at a breast cancer memorial garden slated to open in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2024. Offering a sanctuary for reflection and the healing balm of nature, the garden is sure to boost visitors’ quality of life.