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Breast Cancer Network of Strength
“You have breast cancer” may be among the most frightening words a patient can hear a doctor utter. Yet in the United States more than 194,000 men and women hear them each year. A diagnosis may leave someone feeling alone, afraid and hopeless. But having information and knowing where to turn for support can help patients regain a sense of hope and control.
“Am I going to die?”
“My wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. What do we do?”
“How can I make decisions about my treatment when I’m so upset?”
These are common questions among the 47,000 calls and e-mails that Breast Cancer Network of Strength’s 24/7 YourShoes™ Breast Cancer Support Center receives each year.
When breast cancer is the diagnosis, patients, families and friends want to know everything possible about the disease and how it will affect their lives. They need emotional support and crave information about treatment options and details about the disease, but they also need deeper knowledge.
For the newly diagnosed, support is crucial and it helps to talk to someone who has been through the same experience, a “peer.” Peer support is the cornerstone of Breast Cancer Network of Strength® (formerly known as Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization®).
Callers feel immediate emotional relief when they talk to someone who has walked in their shoes--one of our peer counselors--because, as breast cancer survivors, they truly understand what someone may be going through. Since this is such a meaningful concept, we named our peer support services YourShoes™.
“Even though my family is a great support system, I needed to talk to someone who had been in my shoes.”
YourShoes includes the 24/7 breast cancer support center staffed by peer counselors who are breast cancer survivors. Calls are handled in more than 150 languages through real-time interpreters.
It also includes e-mail-based support, match programs, and survivor-facilitated support groups. All questions are answered by peer counselors who are rigorously screened, trained and certified to help callers by giving emotional support and information about breast cancer procedures and treatment options.
Here are actual comments from callers:
“I didn’t know who to call, I needed to talk, I was frightened and I needed information. Thank you for being there for me.”
“I was feeling very vulnerable, sad and in shock. It was late at night and I found support through your service.”
“Your counselor was most helpful—compassionate, soft spoke and got me through a difficult night.”
“You are wonderful. You have been there from the first day I was diagnosed ‘til now.”
Peer counselors coach callers on how to communicate effectively with their doctors, and encourage them to be the key players on their health care teams. In addition, callers can be paired with match peer counselors who share similar diagnoses, ages or experiences.
Breast Cancer Network of Strength does not endorse specific treatment options or protocols and peer counselors do not give medical advice. They do, however, replace fear with facts and help patients understand how to weigh their options to make more personalized treatment decisions.
Since breast cancer affects not just the patient but the whole family and circle of friends, anyone touched by breast cancer or who is concerned about breast health can use the Network of Strength’s confidential and free services.
For breast cancer support or information including publications and newsletters, visit Breast Cancer Network of Strength or call 1-800-221-2141 (English, with interpreters available in 150 languages).
Spring Meadow Nursery has partnered with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to raise $1 million for breast cancer research. To reach our goal, we developed the first ever pink anabelle hydrangea called Invincibelle® Spirit, which donates $1 to the BCRF for every plant sold. This hardy and heat tolerant hydrangea blooms reliably each year, and is named in honor of the brave women fighting breast cancer. Like these women, it is strong and will survive and thrive for years to come.
For more information on our campaign, please visit http://www.invincibellespirit.net/
Invincibelle® Spirit is included on the pink products page of the BCRF web site pink products & programs page.
Contact:
Kathy Garfield
Marketing Specialist
Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc.
12601 120th Ave.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616) 846-4729, ext 1204
www.invincibellespirit.net
NOTE: I did not write this article. The author of this article is not known. It was sent to me by E-mail.
(NAPS)—Thanks to medical advances, more women are surviving a breast cancer diagnosis than ever before. That’s one reason it’s important to support the emotional healing process by addressing a spectrum of “survivorship” concerns.
Every woman deals with a diagnosis of breast cancer in her own way. You may have concerns about your long-term health or your emotional well-being. You may fear breast cancer could return. You are finding a “new normal”—integrating a history with breast cancer into your life experience. For those who are making the transition into that “new normal” and starting to return to a regular routine, here are some tips from Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national nonprofit organization for coping with the medical, emotional and practical concerns when treatment ends and the rest of life begins.
• Speak with your doctor to create a long-term followup plan. Whether you’re one year or 10 years out from your diagnosis, as a breast cancer survivor, it’s important to speak with your doctor to determine your
schedule for ongoing medical checkups to monitor your health. It may also be beneficial to ask your doctor about how to manage lingering side effects, such as fatigue, bone loss, hot flashes, weight gain or lymphedema.
• Keep your medical records and appointments organized. Request a printed copy and organize your medical reports so they will be easier to reference during your follow-up care. And keep a calendar updated with your upcoming checkups and any tests you may have. While you are in follow-up care, it’s very important to follow through with the medical visits your doctor has recommended for you.
• Understand that you may need to create a new “normal.” Breast cancer can be a defining experience. You may want your life to return to the way it was before your diagnosis. While that may be the case for some women, for many others, breast cancer changes their outlook and perspective. Take the time to sort out your emotions and priorities. Don’t feel pressured to “bounce back” immediately after treatment ends.
• Take care of your emotional health. Breast cancer survivors may experience various feelings and stages of anxiety, depression, anger or loneliness. For some women, the shock of diagnosis doesn’t take full affect until after treatment ends. First and foremost, you need to know that these emotions are normal. One way to ease your emotions is by staying connected to those who make you feel most comfortable sharing your feelings. You can reach out to breast cancer organizations, such as Living Beyond Breast Cancer, that offer telephone-matching services and can connect you to another woman in similar circumstances. Also, remember that trained therapists can help you along your journey. Regular exercise can be very helpful in improving your mood and outlook on life.
• Live beyond your breast cancer. Don’t let breast cancer define you or hinder future possibilities. Remember to live each day with hope and take time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. You may be physically and emotionally drained but remember, you have done everything you can to fight the cancer. Feel proud of your hard work and now take time to recapture and enjoy your life. At every stage of your breast cancer journey, Living Beyond Breast Cancer can help. For more information, visit www.lbbc.org to download or order free education resources that provide emotional comfort and support. Founded in 1991, Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life. For more information, visit www.lbbc.org or call the organization’s toll-free Survivors’ Helpline at (888) 753-LBBC (5222).
Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Healthy Ideas
Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national nonprofit organization, has resources for coping with the medical, emotional and practical concerns of breast cancer at every stage of your journey. For more information, visit
www.lbbc.org or call (888) 753-5222.
You can put cancer into context and learn how to move forward and live beyond your diagnosis. Thanks to medical advances, more women are surviving a breast cancer diagnosis than ever before. /// Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Personal note from Dawn: LBBC has started a blog here: LBBC's Blog
Today's blog post will feature a breast cancer prevention organization in Puerto Rico called Ruta Pink. Here is some info:
Last year, Doral Bank in Puerto Rico teamed up with Susan G Komen for the Cure and launched “Ruta Pink” (or Pink Route). Ruta Pink consists of a pink mobile mammogram clinic that stops through various towns in Puerto Rico, offering women (and men) free mammograms, biopsies and referrals – with or without health insurance.
Since launching in June of 2008, Ruta Pink’s medical team has performed over 2,200 mammograms. In addition to offering mammograms, the Ruta Pink program also offers free cancer prevention seminars to the general public, and offers contributions to the Susan G Komen foundation.
You can read more about Ruta Pink at Ruta Pink (click English in upper right corner), or visit their new youtube page at www.youtube.com/rutapink
They’ve also recently been written about in Everyday Health, FastCompany, Brandweek, and more!
Bright Pink is a national nonprofit organization devoted to helping women who are fighting both breast and ovarian cancer. Their goal in offering education and support is to "arm young women with knowledge, options and a great attitude, and offer companionship and empathy during their journey. We empower them to take control of their breast and ovarian health and in turn, grant them the freedom and peace of mind to live a beautiful and fulfilling life."
Part of the work they do is partnering with companies to create products that promote breast cancer awareness, mainly during September and October. As an example, the specially-created pink Bubblemint Orbit White Gum means 10% of sales of this gum will go towards supporting this organization.
Their Little Bright Book series, which medical professionals can obtain for free from the site, provides information about breast and ovarian cancer. Titles include "A Young Woman’s Guide to Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk and How to Be Proactive with Your Health” and the breast/ovarian cancer fighter/survivor's edition “For Our Mothers and the Women We Love: A Guide to Being Proactive and Protecting Your Family’s Health."
The site also provides a wealth of information about breast and ovarian cancer, all written by a team of medical professionals who understand the needs and concerns of those who are at risk of either cancer.
Also, anyone looking to connect with another cancer fighter/survivor can check out the PinkPals program. This will pair you with someone similar to your own situation who you can talk with and turn to for support via phone or email. You may even be able to meet your PinkPal in person.
The organization also emails or texts monthly reminders to "make time for the girls," offer information about a physical outreach group in your area, and visitors may even submit questions to genetic counselors ready to answer your questions and address your concerns.
They also offer educational workshops and conferences.
For more information: Bright Pink
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