Breast Cancer Patients have Friends for Life

By Hilary Sweet & Richelle Rapaport

As she sat in the waiting room, Linda * ( not her real name) was grateful for a few minutes to mentally review her complex “to do” lists’. A 52 yr old mother of two teenagers, fulltime professional and wife, she had to manage her time and energy carefully. She had learned to balance her responsibilities and also to find time to enjoy her girlfriends on a regular basis. Today she was taking care of one small thing on her to do list, the annual routine mammogram. She has no family history and no symptoms; no reason to suspect that there might be a problem.

The days and weeks that followed the mammogram were a blur. “There is a spot”,” “sonogram”, “needle biopsy”, “find a surgeon”. Life took a sharp turn when breast cancer was diagnosed. Routines were forgotten and priorities reordered. New information was required, quickly.

 Linda was one of 250,000 American women who are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.  Fortunately for her, she had health insurance and a strong social support group. Although she was surprised by the diagnosis, she was hopeful. Breast cancer research has made tremendous progress in recent years. She lived on Long Island, NY, where there are several outstanding breast cancer treatment centers. Through friends and colleagues at work, as well as guidance from her health insurance provider, Linda located an excellent surgeon and started her long journey back to wellness.

Breast Cancer can be terrifying; a disruptive force in the life of the woman and her family.  It is the most common cancer found in women. Nearly one out of every eight women will have breast cancer. Every year, 1,700 men are diagnosed with breast cancer as well. In the past, cancer was thought to be deadly, but we have learned better ways to treat cancer through research. Depending on the type, size and location of the breast cancer, the doctors will determine the best treatment options. When diagnosed early, Stage 1 cancer has a 95% cure rate.

Some of the treatments for breast cancer can be frightening. Many will require surgery to remove the lump, which was done as an outpatient, or more extensive surgery as an inpatient. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often part of the treatment program, although some women will be advised to have radiation treatment only. Both these treatments work by targeting the rapidly dividing cancer cells, to eliminate any cancer remaining after surgery. While chemotherapy has some uncomfortable side effects, they are usually temporary. There have been extensive efforts made to find ways to reduce the nausea, weight loss, anemia and low white blood count, allowing women to remain more involved in their lives during treatment.  Some insurance companies will even pay for a wig for when there is hair loss.

Through a friend, Linda was introduced to a wonderful new group of breast cancer survivors, The Friends for Life Foundation. With offices in Melville and Commack, the Friends for Life Foundation is a unique breast cancer social support organization, dedicated to providing positive nurturing support, educational programs, understanding and friendship to breast cancer survivors, family members and caregivers.  The educational programs are presented by local experts on important topics such as breast reconstruction, pain management, meditation and nutrition. The founder, Hillary Sweet, a breast cancer survivor, works tirelessly to rally the members and community to gather support for those involved in treatment, including meals donation, house cleaning services, and restorative yoga classes. The Friends for Life Foundation Message Board is an online support group which gives newly diagnosed women the opportunity to contact those who have experienced treatment, and for all to share and support each others’ recovery. Research has shown that women with breast cancer who participated in support groups had improved outcomes.

Friends for Life Foundation recognize the need to support the entire family and involve the children of breast cancer patients and survivors in “Kids for Life” groups. This group of young people gather regularly to assemble gift packs for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, participate in community breast cancer fundraisers and enjoy each other’s company.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM)  released a study in 2007, Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs, which reinforces the philosophy that social and emotional support are integral to medical treatment when cancer is in the family. The study stated, “It has been shown that both cancer patients and their families are at increased risk for anxiety and depression related to the strain of the disease. These mental states can cause harmful health effects of their own, compounding the challenges of treatment.”

Friends for Life Foundation is special in that it is not clinically based in a treatment center and encourages the formation of friendships in a social support network.  With friendly guidance and support, Linda and others like her can learn to live the “New Normal” life of a woman with breast cancer. The work of recovery is not over when the initial treatment is done. Cancer is now considered to be chronic illness, requiring many years of treatment with oral medications and periodic checkups. Some women will regain the strength and activity level they experienced prior to treatment, but some will not. Some will have complete remission, and some will not. While 2.5 million American women have survived breast cancer, last year 40,480 women in this country died from the disease. This reality is part of the every day world of  women with breast cancer diagnosis. With support of others who have gone through similar experiences, the burden is lighter. Learning to live the “New Normal” with the support of survivors can make a real difference in the healing of women who have been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.

On March 14th 2009 DON’T MISS - Our FIRST Annual Fundraising Event Dinner and an Evening of Comedy with Alan Zweibel AWARD WINNING COMEDY WRITER of Saturday Night Live, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and 700 Sundays. The event will be held at the Hamlet Windwatch Golf & Country Club, Hauppauge, NY For more information and to purchase tickets click here.

* Breast cancer statistics were obtained from www.breastcancer.org