# What if it doesn't come back?

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-cancer-what-if-it-doesnt-come-back
- Themes: fear, illness, hope, perception
- Life situations: cancer remission, fear of relapse, health anxiety

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

At the opening of a new campus of the Cancer Support/Wellness Association in Cottesloe, Ajahn Brahm is the second VIP guest after the Premier. Why him? They explain: on his very first visit 26 years earlier he spoke about fear, and a woman in remission asked what would happen if her cancer came back. No one had been able to help her. He answered: 'What happens if it doesn't come back?' She had never thought of that. It never came back, and she visits him every year.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

I always go to the Cancer Wellness Association over in cottesloe I'm well known over there I go there once a year they come to Monastery once a year and just last year when they built a huge complex there a new campus they call it in Railway parade in codisloe having a big opening and the premier was the first VIP guess who the second VIP was and I said why are you inviting me well it's not the archbishops you know no rabbis no movie stars no Hugh jackmans or any models or anything just actually Empire why and it's because they told me that I've been going to that place for over 26 years and always being of service to them and they really value me there so much so I said I said well why and that's when they told me the very first time I went there I talked about fear and how to overcome it and that had a huge impact on the people who attend that place because what happened there was one woman there she had been through cancer in remission but there was a problem her problem was what happens if it comes back again and she was so terrified of that that was her fear and and you can understand you know if you've been through a Cancer all that treatment which is really harsh and you beat it but do I have can I do this again and so that was a fair what would happen if it happens again but I came along apparently that no one else could actually solve that problem answer that question until I came along and I answered the question for her and the question was you know what happens if he comes back and I told her what happens if it won't come back if it doesn't come back at all then what and this woman actually got it straight away yeah I never thought of that I was always so afraid of it coming back and even thought of what might happen if it never comes back and it never came back but she comes back every year to see me

## Teaching point

Fear looks at the future with a negative mind; change the perception — what if the feared thing never happens?

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A woman in remission lived in dread of her cancer returning, until Ajahn Brahm asked: what if it doesn't come back? She'd never thought of that, and visits him every year. Keep up proper medical care, of course. But fear only imagines the worst future. Whatever comes, you can meet it. Light a candle rather than curse the dark.

## Source

- [Dealing with Fear | Ajahn Brahm | 25 Nov 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymIPqrdbNz8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 36:38 to 38:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymIPqrdbNz8&t=2198s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Dealing With Anxiety | Ajahn Brahm | 31 January 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MRPqISIZ3M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:14 to 22:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MRPqISIZ3M&t=1034s
- [Peaceful Activism | Ajahn Brahm | 18 October 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRO0U6bURws) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 52:13 to 53:19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRO0U6bURws&t=3133s
- [The Healing Power of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 26 April 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L29H6tdvTqI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 35:04 to 36:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L29H6tdvTqI&t=2104s
- [The Importance of Asking Questions | Ajahn Brahm | 23 February 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkjqEX1Nnwc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:05 to 21:13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkjqEX1Nnwc&t=1205s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp1MCTvD1D4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:07:51 to 1:08:19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp1MCTvD1D4&t=4071s
- [Mindfulness and Productivity | Ajahn Brahm | 6 February 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO0A43r2r1Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:40 to 11:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO0A43r2r1Y&t=580s
- [Fundraising event for Ajahn Brahm’s 900th (75th) birthday celebration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk9JO-LvDRM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 11:20 to 12:03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk9JO-LvDRM&t=680s
- [Meditation in Trying Times - Armadale Meditation Group | Ajahn Brahm | 17 May 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-REkEnSRIc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:01 to 18:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-REkEnSRIc&t=1021s
- [Wie man mit Müdigkeit umgeht | Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC7qMBilP9M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 36:13 to 39:39: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC7qMBilP9M&t=2173s