Česky
When you look back on the year you've had, what words come to mind first?
It would probably be the words shock, reconciliation, humility and gratitude. Shock at the announcement of illness, because everyone surely hopes that this illness will not affect them. Reconciliation, for me, came after about a fortnight, when I was relieved and accepted the illness. The humility came with the realization that there are people worse off, nothing is lost, there is nothing to complain about. Gratitude that our health care system is one of the most advanced in the world and cancer is now a commonly treatable disease, though of course it depends on the location and type of tumor.
Ironically, as I scrolled through your posts from the last six months, I still had a smile on my face. Your positive mindset and ever-good humor are absolutely disarming. Has that always been in you and is it something that can be learned?
I'm a model optimist and it certainly wouldn't help to be sad. It's just that when you set that positivity in yourself, everything is immediately easier. And it's a fact that other people treat you differently too, they just ride your wave. You have to have a little bit of it in you, but if you find something nice about every situation in life, the world is a happier place.
How much has the Instagram community helped you cope with your cancer treatment?
Absolutely! I have to admit that I posted the news of my illness a little bit for selfish reasons the night before my surgery. I figured the more people thought of me during surgery, the better it would turn out. But what happened afterwards I wouldn't have dreamed of. The post was seen by 99,000 people, there were over 600 comments under the photo, and so many complete strangers were crossing their fingers and cheering me on! And that's not counting how many messages I got. It was incredibly helpful.
You have a great family background, too. That's evident in what you share, too. One of your two sons is the influencer Stejk, who has over a million followers on YouTube alone. How much has the last year strengthened your relationships at home?
While our relationship with both of our sons has always been amazing, I don't wish any mom to have to tell her kids "I have cancer." It doesn't matter if they're grown. I never want to see that fear in their eyes again. The boys are more protective now, they spoil me more. Maybe that's why I try to make light of my posts, because I know they read them.
In your posts you also often praise the attitude of the medical staff at the Multiscan Cancer Center. What did you find unique about them?
The service is amazing. When you get a diagnosis like that, you don't even think of calling around for different tests. But I got appointments for everything on the first day and that was probably the most helpful thing for me in the beginning. And then there's a lot of empathy in one place. I feel like I'm among good friends there, which is always nice to see.
You had chemotherapy treatment in Pardubice, which ended at the beginning of January. What was the hardest part of it and what advice would you give to people who are going to have this treatment?
The hardest thing for me was to start, the fear of the unknown. After the first four chemotherapy treatments I didn't feel well, but with the help of anti-nausea medication I was able to cope. My biggest fear was always whether the nurses would be able to get the vein in properly. Chemotherapy is devastating and there is a great art to it. It's important to drink as much as possible the morning before the procedure, even two litres of water, it goes better then.
In a recent post, you wrote that your cancer treatment is giving you more than it is taking. What has it taken away from you and what has it given you?
It has taken from me the certainty that when you go for any kind of examination, it must always turn out well. It also gave me a lot of energy to do normal things, which I was able to do before without any problems. But I'm sure it'll all get better soon. And what it has given me is an amazing amount of people I would never have met. People with empathy, people with tremendous humility, people who are brave, a lot of sick people who fight their illness and don't lose their positivity. And most of all, this illness has given me humility and the knowledge that health is not a given, but also that life is beautiful and worth fighting for.
And if you could go back that year and make a message to yourself then, what would it be?
Don't be afraid, because a diagnosis is not the end of life. And stop dwelling on the useless little things that only annoy you and distract you from the things that are important.
"I told myself that the more people thought of me during the operation, the better it would be."
How did Lea Steele's son, YouTuber Stejk, experience the illness?
The last year has been mentally challenging for me and for the whole family, everything was new for us. We didn't know what was going to happen and how the treatment would go. When my mom and I went through the doctors' appointments, I could already imagine roughly how it was going to be and what kind of cancer it actually was. We supported my mom and stood by her the whole time. We are now planning a vacation together because Mom deserves it for fighting this battle.
