You are thrown underwater. The words “You have cancer” become a dark sea that tows you down, down, down, until friends or family or a kind doctor or nurse pulls you up for air. At the surface, you gasp for the stage and grade of it, you gasp for the treatment plan. There is no time to float. Then despair might hit, and you’re back under, to be revived again and again, bit by lung-filled bit, as the days and appointments pass.
SHARE is proud to collaborate with the PAN Foundation, an independent, national 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to helping federally and commercially insured people living with life-threatening, chronic and rare diseases with the out-of-pocket costs for their prescribed medications.
Five years ago I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, which came as a complete shock after having been cancer free for 9 years. It took me almost two years to adjust to this and medical treatments I was going through. It seemed that for these 2 years everything in my life was put on hold.
Welcome to our new, monthly resource roundup! Each month, we’ll be curating study opportunities, new clinical trials, research results, news articles, personal perspectives, and upcoming events of interest to women and families affected by breast, ovarian, or metastatic breast cancer.
If you are undergoing or recovering from breast cancer treatments, be it surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, your main focus is on getting rid of the cancer. Nutrition can play a vital role in your treatment recovery, prevention of cancer recurrence, and overall health and well-being.
Why did you decide to be a SHARE Breast Cancer Helpline volunteer?
Being a Helpline Volunteer, for me, is a way to be part of something meaningful. In many ways it is a good fit with my former work as a social worker. It is particularly gratifying if and when a caller finds our conversation helpful.
SHARE hosted its annual holiday party on Wednesday, December 19. Members of our community gathered for a fabulous evening featuring a raffle, great food, music, and friends.
Thank you to everyone who joined us- you helped make this an amazing night!
Join us on Thursday, January 10 for "Conflicts of Interest in Research and Treatment: What Breast Cancer Patients Should Know" a panel discussion featuring Otis W. Brawley, MD, Robert M. Cook-Deegan, Fran Visco, and moderated by Robert Bazell. RSVP at [email protected]
Our ongoing breast cancer support group at the Samuel Field-YM-YWHA in Queens held their annual holiday party and fundraiser on Thursday, December 13. Thanks to everyone who joined us! Check out a few pictures from the festivities (including their exciting auction) below.
Below is a poem by Sandi Spivey, a retired human resource director from California, living with metastatic breast cancer since 1998. She volunteers as a match helpline mentor for others with metastatic breast cancer and blogs at catsncancer.com.
Sandi shared this poem at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December 2018.
At First
Cry.
