You're sitting in the hospital room, waiting for the results to come back. You think to yourself, what's wrong? Why are we here? Could it really be that bad? But in the back of your mind, you never truly believe that cancer could be possible. You think to yourself, "Me? My family? My friend? No way, not possible," but with the statistics we have today, it doesn't seem all that crazy anymore. According to the National Cancer Institute, "In 2016, an estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 595,690 people will die from the disease." It used to seem like cancer was a very rare occurrence, but recently it seems that cases like this happen more often than they should.

So you continue to wait and then all of a sudden, the doctor walks in with his clipboard and you hold your breath. Then he mutters the words that you never imagined you would ever hear in your entire life: "It's cancer." Just like that, thousands of thoughts run through your mind and suddenly you can't think about anything else. Every possibility, every case you've ever heard, every worst case scenario...they all hit you at once, and then you just lose it.

You start with denial. You ask the doctor if he's made a mistake. You beg him to run some more tests to make sure that the diagnosis is right. You tell him there's no possible way that it's cancer, but deep down inside, you know that nothing you say will change the reality of what was said. Once you've come to this realization, you move on to the next step: anger.

No matter what comforting words the doctor has to say, nothing will make the situation better. You start to get mad and want nothing more than to scream. You look up to the sky and ask God why. You ask Him what you could have possibly done to deserve this. You don't want to talk to anyone and you don't want to accept the fact that cancer has affected someone you love. But eventually, the anger wears off, and you move on to the next stage: depression and sadness.

You've finally hit rock bottom, and finally, you just let it all out. Tears come streaming down your face, and you can't help but feel like there's nothing you can do. You can't look your loved one in the eye without bursting into tears, can't talk about it without getting choked up and you constantly have to keep yourself from thinking about it to avoid crying. You feel like you could have prevented it and blame yourself, but you know deep down that none of this was anyone's fault. You stay in this stage for a very long time, that is, until you are able to come to terms with it and realize that positivity is the only way you will get through it in one piece. When you are able to do that, you move into the final stage: being proactive and staying positive.

Once the diagnosis has been made, it is important to make your loved one feel as comfortable and normal as possible. In order to stay positive, it's important to make them feel like nothing is stopping them from living the life they want to live. Sure, things may need modification, but that doesn't mean that they have to live his/her life in a bubble. It is important for family and friends to treat the loved one no different than they did before, and also to continue to motivate them every day to live life to the fullest. Lastly, it is important to maintain a positive attitude and consistently pray for things to get better. As long as you have faith and a great support system, all things are possible through Him.

While I may not know what it's like to be the person in the hospital room waiting for results, I do know what it's like to be the family member hearing those harsh words for the first time, and trust me, it's no walk in the park. Unfortunately, I've heard these words on more than one occasion, and with every time, it gets that much harder. But what I've learned from all of these experiences is that one word should not define you. Sure, cancer is a scary word, but why let fear keep you from being the best version of you that you can be? So instead of hiding behind the shadows of your diagnosis, allow yourself to accomplish everything you've ever wanted to do. Don't hold back and say you'll get to it another day, instead, take charge and get it done. Never hold back. Live every single day to the fullest. Keep a positive attitude and always believe that there is hope. Be strong in your faith and put everything in His hands. But also, do not be afraid to let it out sometimes, because it's okay not to be brave all the time. So the next time you hear those horrifying words, know that you're not alone. Know that there are so many people out there just like you, and remind yourself that you can get through this. Stay positive, never give up and keep working hard so that you can live the life you dream of. You are strong, you are capable and we all believe in you.