--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I feel like I had zero control over…" description: "\"I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I have 100 percent control over how I will respond to dealing with cancer.\" — Kay Yow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png" --- # I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I… ![“I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I have 100 percent control over how I will respond to dealing with cancer.” quote by Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png) > “I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I have 100 percent control over how I will respond to dealing with cancer.” [Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot control illness onset, but we control our response and attitude toward it. **In simple terms:** Control your reaction to cancer. Key Takeaway Focus on proactive coping. Themes health resilience mindset Mood hopeful determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - medical treatment - support groups - daily coping Key Concepts psychology patient empowerment stress management Questions to Reflect On - What coping strategies help most? - How to maintain hope? A Different Perspective Response alone can’t cure disease. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Cancer 100](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer-100-2278636/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Dealing Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealing-cancer-2278635/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Getting Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-cancer-1485765/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zero/) [Zero Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zero-control-2278637/) ## Related quotes > [It doesn't make sense that there is only one way of dealing with cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-mills/it-doesn-t-make-sense-that-there-is-only-one-way-of-dealing-with/) [Hayley Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-mills/) > [If there's one thing I hate, it's losing. If there's two things I hate, it's losing and getting cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-there-s-one-thing-i-hate-it-s-losing-if-there-s-two-things-i-hate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Age itself is a risk for getting cancer. Our cells replicate constantly during our lives. The more times they replicate, the greater the chances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranjana-srivastava/age-itself-is-a-risk-for-getting-cancer-our-cells-replicate/) [Ranjana Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranjana-srivastava/) > [I'm a researcher, so I'm realistic that there's nothing I'm doing that's going to prevent me from getting cancer in the future. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-m-a-researcher-so-i-m-realistic-that-there-s-nothing-i-m-doing-that/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [I've been talking to people, and I've gone to hospitals, talked to survivors, to doctors, to caregivers. I just learned that there's really no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-ve-been-talking-to-people-and-i-ve-gone-to-hospitals-talked-to/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I have people that have died from cancer and friends that are dealing with cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-cephas-jones/i-have-people-that-have-died-from-cancer-and-friends-that-are-dealing/) [Ron Cephas Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-cephas-jones/) > [I work very hard; I have every day since I started my business, even when I was on bed rest during pregnancies, even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoshanna-lonstein-gruss/i-work-very-hard-i-have-every-day-since-i-started-my-business-even/) [Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoshanna-lonstein-gruss/) > [Our parents, loved ones, and friends are getting cancer. So we need to know how to care for them, support them, and understand what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-cohen/our-parents-loved-ones-and-friends-are-getting-cancer-so-we-need-to/) [Yael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-cohen/) > [If there's one thing I hate, it's losing. If there are two things I hate, it's losing and getting cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-powers/if-there-s-one-thing-i-hate-it-s-losing-if-there-are-two-things-i/) [Kenny Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-powers/) > [I got worries by the ton, getting cancer's only one. Over taxed and alimonied, tired of eating fried baloney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/i-got-worries-by-the-ton-getting-cancer-s-only-one-over-taxed-and/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [If there's one thing I hate, it's losing. If there's two things I hate, it's losing and getting cancer. -Kenny Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eastbound-and-down/if-there-s-one-thing-i-hate-it-s-losing-if-there-s-two-things-i-hate-2/) [Eastbound And Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eastbound-and-down/) > [Incredibly, nearly 70,000 Young Adults between 15-39 are diagnosed with cancer each year. 10,000 will not survive. This is a very important stat for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/incredibly-nearly-70-000-young-adults-between-15-39-are-diagnosed/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Getting cancer can become the beginning of living. The search for one's own being, the discovery of the life one needs to live, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-leshan/getting-cancer-can-become-the-beginning-of-living-the-search-for-one/) [Lawrence LeShan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-leshan/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## More by Kay Yow > [I normally shun the spotlight, but I don't mind being the platform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/i-normally-shun-the-spotlight-but-i-don-t-mind-being-the-platform/) [Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) > [When life kicks you, let it kick you forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/when-life-kicks-you-let-it-kick-you-forward/) [Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) > [This is a mind over matter thing. We have to find it within ourselves to play for two hours. We love the game, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/this-is-a-mind-over-matter-thing-we-have-to-find-it-within-ourselves/) [Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) > [Don't let the urgent get in the way of the important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/don-t-let-the-urgent-get-in-the-way-of-the-important/) [Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) [Explore all 5 Kay Yow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) ## More Cancer quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Historically, more people have died of religion than cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-francis/historically-more-people-have-died-of-religion-than-cancer/) [Dick Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-francis/) > [“Our kind of love can go into remission, but it's always waiting to return. Like the world sweetest cancer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/our-kind-of-love-can-go-into-remission-but-it-s-always-waiting-to/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Bollywood is a cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-banerjee/bollywood-is-a-cancer/) [Victor Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-banerjee/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [When people go get chemo, they're not injecting themselves with will - I have lost various loved ones to cancer, and I certainly don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/when-people-go-get-chemo-they-re-not-injecting-themselves-with-will-i/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) > [“the doctor hesitated before breaking the news to her. "those aren't stars. it's cancer." - forty years a smoker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lovelace/the-doctor-hesitated-before-breaking-the-news-to-her-those-aren-t/) [Amanda Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lovelace/) > [I loved you to the moon and back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-loved-you-to-the-moon-and-back/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) [Richard Doll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-doll/) > [I would do away with super PACs. I think it's a cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-conrad/i-would-do-away-with-super-pacs-i-think-it-s-a-cancer/) [Kent Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-conrad/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [If you are a white male, you don't deserve to live. You are a cancer, you're a disease, white males have never contributed anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-ignatiev/if-you-are-a-white-male-you-don-t-deserve-to-live-you-are-a-cancer/) [Noel Ignatiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-ignatiev/) > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) [Browse all 3,177 Cancer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I have 100 percent control over how I will respond to dealing with cancer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kay Yow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-getting-cancer-but-i-have-100/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cancer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-getting-cancer-but-i-have-100/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b9/kay-yow-64905_cancer_i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-gett_2642294.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I have 100 percent control over how I will respond…” — Kay Yow", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kay Yow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I feel like I had zero...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-getting-cancer-but-i-have-100/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/i-feel-like-i-had-zero-control-over-getting-cancer-but-i-have-100/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```