Jason Randall
MEET THE WOLFPACK - Q&A
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🔸 Name: Jason Randall
🔸 Age: 36
🔸 Occupation: GIS Analyst
🔸 Location: Lawrence, Kansas, USA
🔸 Cancer type: Stage IV Colorectal Cancer
Q: The Man Up to Cancer motto is OPEN HEART, WARRIOR SPIRIT. Which aspect of your personality could use more growth?
A: These aspects I have come to find a balance between somewhat already during some intense treatments and some deep meditation sessions. If I had to pick between the two I would improve my OPEN HEART aspect even more, I want to help other people be aware of how colorectal cancer specifically — even if you have another primary type of cancer — can be a silent killer.
I want to get more young people screened due to the increasing rates of Colon and Rectal cancers, as I had merely two weeks of symptoms before stage diagnosis at 35 years old. I seem to have the WARRIOR SPIRIT down pat and have overcome the odds to get to where I am with my treatment and recovery side effects and be as resilient as I can through that, returning to work, and wrangling 3 children daily.
Q: What are your top tools for coping with the psychological impacts of cancer (i.e. anxiety, depression, anger, isolation, etc.)?
A: I struggled tremendously at first with the psychological impacts of cancer. It almost broke me to the point I was willing to give up. After seeing an integrative medicine doctor that all changed. This doctor introduced me to meditation which has been life-changing for me. I am not sure what I needed to do to make this effective, but one day I connected and it was very deep, very emotional, and very liberating for me. It was like a weight was lifted off of my body and I didn't give a shit anymore in a good way. Imagine the movie Office Space, like I was the main character, Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), and all of a sudden the stress, the anger, the trying to control it all was just gone, not necessarily to my job, I love my job, but to life in general.
Suddenly, I was willing to accept what was coming to me whatever that may be, to forgive the things I couldn't control, and to start living my life because you don't know what tomorrow will hold. This freedom has motivated me and is probably what has carried me to the point I am right now. It made me more sensitive, but in a good way. I am more humble, empathetic, and understanding, but also not afraid to speak my mind and stand up for what is right.
I guess you could say I found myself and what I stand for in this world. The meditation truly changed my whole outlook on life and I highly recommend trying it. To this day I still do several forms of meditation, at least once daily, and I go back to that same place I learned to connect to and to me it heals.
Q: If you could pick a “handle” for your wolf identity (like Icewolf, Blaze, Aura, Dash, Hunter, you get the idea), what would it be, and why?
A: I had to research this one a bit to find a fitting name and I think the Hopi name of "Hototo" which means "Warrior spirit who sings" fits quite nicely and this description is why:
"You want to give to others, usually in a humanitarian or philanthropic manner. You are highly motivated to give friendship, affection and love. And you are generous in giving of your knowledge and experience. You have very sharing urges, and you are likely to have a great deal to share. Your concern for others makes you a very sympathetic and generous person with a sensitive and compassionate nature.”
