Breast cancer is among the most common cancers in women in the Americas. In 2020, there were more than 210,000 new diagnoses of breast cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean and nearly 68,000 deaths.
Breast cancer commonly presents as a painless lump in the breast and treatment can be effective, particularly when caught early.
This is a life-changing diagnosis–breast cancer can affect a patient emotionally and physically.
If you have a family member or friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer you might not know what to do, how to help or what to say.
Here are three ways you can support someone with breast cancer according to the American Cancer Society:
Emotional support
Just being there as a pillar of support can go a long way. A person who was diagnosed with breast cancer will go through many emotions and could feel loneliness, fear, anger and sadness. Sometimes they might feel too ill to eat and need words of encouragement.
Having someone to talk to or just being a listener can help ease their emotions.
Offer to run errands
Your friend or loved one might not be able to do chores around the home or go grocery shopping or even take care of their pets. You can offer to assist around the house by organising meals or even cleaning. Let the person create a list of tasks you might be able to help with.
Visit
It may seem like such a simple thing to ask for. While text messages and video calls are probably the fastest ways to let your loved one know you care, a scheduled visit in person can allow for a brief hug and a reassuring touch.
You can offer to keep the person company at home or even go for a walk if they want to.
Additional suggestion:
Educate yourself
Sometimes the best way to understand what a person with breast cancer may be going through is to find out what type of breast cancer they have been diagnosed with.
There are several types of breast cancer and you would also want to learn about the extent (stage) of the cancer, as it tells you how serious the cancer is.
More information on different types of breast cancer can be accessed right here.
(Loop News)
