October is breast cancer awareness month.
Every day, more than 700 people in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer. Each of those people is more than a number or a diagnosis. Cancer affects not only the diagnosed person, but their family, friends, and community as well.
Cancer diagnosis is a stressful time for everyone involved. Here are some ways to support yourself if you or if someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer.
Tools for Diagnosed Individuals
Group Support
There is truly nothing like having a community of people who understand what you’re going through. There are countless breast cancer support groups, both online and in-person. If you don’t find a group through your treatment center, the National Breast Cancer Foundation has a great list of online groups to investigate. You most certainly are not alone in your diagnosis or in any emotion you may feel afterwards.
Podcasts
There are many podcasts to help individuals affected by cancer learn to navigate their lives after diagnosis.
Cancer Out Loud! Is CancerCare’s podcast. They cover topics such as grief, gratitude, and how to pivot when life changes in an instant.
Podcasts by the Cancer Council cover topics such as how to talk to kids about cancer, how to deal with appetite loss and nausea, and how to help someone else who has cancer.
Talk to an Expert
Whether you’re concerned about a change in your breast or you (or a loved one) have received a diagnosis, there is a trained specialist or oncology social worker to talk to you on the other end of the Susan G. Komen Breast Care Helpline. Call 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) M-F 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. You can also email your questions to helpline@komen.org.
Financial Support
The Susan G. Komen foundation has a financial assistance program to support women diagnosed with breast cancer. The funds can be used for things unrelated to treatment such as childcare and rent.
Tools for survivors
Of course the most common fear for cancer survivors is cancer recurrence. Survivors can also deal with loneliness and survivor’s guilt along with a general feeling that life will never be the same.
Know the Fear is Normal
Whether it’s a general sense of unease or the panic at having follow-up tests run (known as “Scanxiety”), being afraid of cancer recurrence is absolutely normal, and it does no good to chastise yourself for this very normal emotion. Be gentle with yourself. You’ll only cause yourself more pain if you fight the feeling. However, there are things you can do to help ease the worry. Of course, many are the usual suspects recommended to ease worry in people who haven’t survived cancer, such as meditation, exercise, yoga, and general mindfulness. (These are the usual suspects because they tend to be effective!)
There are more tailor-made tools for cancer survivors as well.
Soothe Survivor’s Guilt
Survivor’s guilt can affect people after car crashes, natural disasters, and diseases, but there is a special brand of survivor’s guilt that tends to affect cancer survivors. While the guilt of surviving while others did not is present, many cancer survivors report feeling guilty for the care they received from friends and family while they were sick. Having a second chance at life may also make a person feel like they aren’t living life to the fullest, which can lead to feelings of guilt. Soothe your guilt by allowing yourself to grieve those you lost and doing something kind in their memory. You can also give back to the people who helped you along your path to recovery to make sure they know you appreciate them.
Have a Survivorship Plan
The ASCO Survivorship Care Plan organizes your follow-up plan, including your check-ups, information about long-term effects from treatment, and ways to live a balanced and healthy life as a cancer survivor.
Connect With Others
CancerCare has a post-treatment survivorship support group that allows people who have completed their breast cancer treatment within 18 months. The group is there to help you navigate the world post-treatment, including all the emotional changes you’ve undergone during your diagnosis and treatment. Led by an oncology social worker, this group can help answer questions and reduce feelings of loneliness.
This article from Cancer.Net has more information on tools for survivors.
We hope you’ll acknowledge Breast Cancer Awareness Month by getting preventative screenings!