I also find a positive relationship between charitable giving and self-reported health status. As the amount of the donation increases, health status improves…”
Surviving multiple myeloma is… difficult. Giving, whether you give your time, your experience, your belongings or your money, makes you, makes most of us, feel better. But does feeling better make you healthier? PeopleBeatingCancer is a nonprofit created by a multiple myeloma (MM) survivor for fellow MM survivors and caregivers. PBC is all about therapies to make us healthier.
My name is David Emerson. I was diagnosed with MM in early 1994. Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer, according to conventional oncology. So how have I lived with MM since ’94? How have I maintained complete remission since 1999?
I’m not saying that “giving” or any single mind-body therapy cures MM. I’m saying that MM patients and survivors must pursue all forms of evidenced-based therapies. And giving, as well as other mind-body therapies should be part of your therapy plan.
One of the Cancer Coaching Guides is a collection of evidence-based, mind-body therapies.
I have found that yes, giving makes me healthier. At least giving is an important component of my life and I’ve been living cancer-free since ’99. So in my mind, giving makes me healthier.
To learn more about mind-body therapies scroll down the page, post a comment or question and I will reply ASAP.
Thanks.
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
“People usually feel good when they make a charitable donation, but they feel even better if they make the donation directly to someone they know or in a way that builds social connection. Research to be published in the International Journal of Happiness and Development investigates for the first time how social connection helps turn generous behavior into positive feelings on the part of the donor.”
“We all know giving helps others, whether we volunteer for organizations, offer emotional support to those around us or donate to charities. But studies show that giving is also good for the giver — boosting physical and mental health.
Studies find these health benefits associated with giving:
“The research, recently published in the Journal of Economic Psychology, found that donating to charity may actually improve a giver’s physical and emotional well being…
After I (Baris K. Yörük) control for variables like income, family size, gender, employment status, race, educational attainment and marital status, I find the probability of reporting better health goes up as the tax subsidy for charitable giving increases..
A 1% increase in a tax subsidy for charitable giving is associated with a 0.1% increase in the health index. The effect is statistically significant, though very moderate. To go up one notch in the health index, say from three to four, implies an almost 200% increase in the tax subsidy, which is basically impossible.
I also find a positive relationship between charitable giving and self-reported health status. As the amount of the donation increases, health status improves…”
