THE EMOTIONS OF BREAST CANCER

Hearing that you have breast cancer is a great shock for most women. In your mind it could be the worst thing to hear and the last thing you expect. At first, you may feel completely overwhelmed. You may have trouble thinking, eating and sleeping. These are normal reactions.

As time moves on, your feelings can change rapidly. You may feel denial, anger, stress, anxiety or depression. You may also feel lonely. These feelings are also common in the people who are close to you. Knowing that you have cancer can make you feel that you have less control over your life. You can gain more control by learning as much as you can about your illness. Make sure that all of your questions/concerns are addressed by your health care providers. Remember that it is acceptable to get a second opinion about your cancer diagnosis and treatment plan if you feel the need to do so. Feelings of anger can be directed at the cancer, your fate, health care providers, or healthy friends and your family. These feelings of anger often come from other feelings more difficult to express such as fear, panic, frustration, and helplessness. Ignoring or trying to cover up your emotions may make you feel worse. The best way to deal with these emotions is to talk about them. It can lessen the stress they cause. If you are not comfortable talking about your feelings you can keep a daily journal to express your thoughts and feelings. Another way to deal with your stress is to attend a support group to talk to others who understand what you are going through. You can also do relaxation exercises or learn to meditate. People who have religious faith often turn to prayer to help them. Professional counseling is also available. Ask to see a social worker at your Cancer Treatment Center. No one needs to face breast cancer alone. Help is available from family members, friends, other individuals dealing with cancer, members of the clergy, and health professionals. It is okay to ask for help. This is a sign of strength, not weakness. Living with cancer may be the biggest challenge you have ever faced. It is important to work through your personal feelings and to go on living and enjoying each day. Remember to set goals so that you have something to look forward to accomplishing. These goals should be for tomorrow, next week and next year. As one breast cancer survivor put it, “Cancer granted me the vision to see each day as precious, a gift to be used wisely and richly.” For some women, a support group is a good option to help in dealing with the emotions. There are several options available here in the Cedar Valley: • The Touch of Courage breast cancer support group is sponsored by the Beyond Pink TEAM. It meets the 1st Monday of each month at 1:30 PM in the Kimball Ridge Center, 2101 Kimball Avenue, Waterloo. (Contact: Dawn Colbert 415-6430) • Care and Share is a cancer support group (any type of cancer) that meets the 1st Tuesday of each month at 1:30 PM at the Covenant Cancer Treatment Center, 200 E. Ridgeway Avenue, Waterloo (Contact: Jeanne Mullen, 272-2816) • Young Cancer Survivors are Meet, Mingle and Learn events sponsored by the Beyond Pink TEAM. These quarterly events are held on the 3rd Tuesday of January, April, June and September from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM and are open to all young women (including young at heart!) with any cancer. Events include a light meal, discussion tables and a speaker at 6:00 PM. You can come and go as your schedule allows. (Contact: Emily Hodgin 239-8118) • Splash of Color is the Beyond Pink TEAM’s support group to meet the needs of women of color. These quarterly Meet, Mingle and Learn events are held at the Waterloo Public Library from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A light meal is offered, sharing time and a speaker. • The Waverly Breast Cancer Support Group. (Contact: Ann Henninger Trax 352-5108) There are also support groups available at many of the local churches. For more information check out Beyond Pink TEAM website: www.cedarvalleybreastcancer.org