According to the WHO, approximately 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer globally every year. It strikes women all over the world of every age after puberty, with an increased rate as women age. For more than 40 years, between the 1930s and 1970s, mortality rates for breast cancer were unchanged. But in the 1980s, many countries adopted programs geared toward early detection and treatment, beginning a trend in which survival rates improved dramatically.
Getting a breast cancer diagnosis can be scary, but getting diagnosed as early as possible is the most important factor in improving one’s survival rate. Being diagnosed affects both the patient directly and her loved ones indirectly. Friends and family want to respond to the situation and offer support during the process, but it’s not always clear to them how to do so.
If you’ve recently learned of a loved one’s diagnosis, you may be at a loss for what to do or say. This blog shares a few ways for you to be present for a loved one who has been recently diagnosed or is undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Women undergoing treatment have decreased energy levels and may not be able to do the routine chores that they once did. One way to truly be present for your friend is by helping her out with daily activities. This could include a variety of tasks such as chores and grocery shopping, or volunteering to take her to her doctors’ appointments and treatments. Taking care of the small things really does help—especially if her home seems neglected. Generally speaking, arranging for someone to be in a clean and tidy house removes the pressure of having to clean and makes people feel better.
Since many people find it difficult to accept help or openly ask for favors, a good way to do this is by offering a specific type of assistance. You should also try to make it sound like something you were going to do anyway to prevent the chances of your friend feeling guilty. For instance, instead of asking her whether she’d like you to cook for her (and even her family), call her and say, “I was going to make a chicken casserole today. How about I bring some over?” This will make her feel more at ease.
Make sure you and your friend are on the same page. It’s always best to ask what she needs from you instead of assuming.
Breast cancer treatments affect the woman’s entire family. She’ll be depending on her spouse or immediate family for most of her needs, but they also have other responsibilities, which puts pressure on them.
Websites such as Lotsa Helping Hands allow you to coordinate, delegate, and schedule care and tasks. The website organizes things like laundry, cooking, shopping, and doctors’ visits, and allows friends, family members, and volunteers to sign up to handle them. Interested parties can do so once or schedule several activities in advance. This enables multiple people in the patient’s life to participate in her treatment so that everything doesn’t fall into the lap of one person.
Emotional support is just as important as practical favors. A person diagnosed with breast cancer is likely feeling a range of emotions, spanning fear and sadness to anger and restlessness. In your efforts to cheer up your friend, give her the space to feel whatever she’s feeling and help her feel comfortable expressing those feelings without fearing judgment.
Remember, sometimes the best thing you can do is listen. You don’t need to have all the answers. Lending an ear and a shoulder to cry on can often do a lot more than words can.
Breast cancer patients are likely to feel like nothing will ever be the same again. While you can’t undo their diagnosis or cure their illness, you can take a few steps to add a sense of normalcy back into their lives.
For instance, celebrate birthdays and special occasions like normal. Surprise them with a spa appointment or tickets to an art show. Keep your little rituals alive to make things as normal as they can be.
TOPS Surgical Specialty Hospital’s Comprehensive Breast Center provides breast screening and diagnostic services. Visit our breast cancer treatment in Houston online and if necessary find the right breast surgeon specialist who’s near you.
Phone: (281) 539-2900
Fax: (281) 715-4525
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