Finding Support and Overcoming Breast Cancer

Finding the support to overcome breast cancer is available to women newly diagnosed and for those who have stayed in remission for years. There is nothing quite as frightening for a woman as hearing the words, "You have breast cancer." The fear of the treatments and surgical complications associated with cancer, the side effects of medications and the worry over the change a mastectomy can have on a woman's life can make one feel very alone and very depressed. The most important thing for women to remember when facing breast cancer is to know they are never alone, there is help out there.

Cancer Hope Network

The non-profit organization The Cancer Hope Network provides free, confidential, one-on-one support to cancer patients. They offer patients and their family members an opportunity to match-up with volunteers that have also undergone similar cancer experiences. It is a secure social network allowing the people affected by cancer to exchange ideas and share thoughts. Their goal is to make a difference in the fight against cancer using every means available and to encourage all patients and family members to register.

America Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery program has helped people for more than 40 years with overcoming breast cancer. Feelings associated with when a person first finds out about breast cancer include: vulnerability, anger and loneliness. Volunteers that are also breast cancer survivors offer support, hope and understanding to patients and family members undergoing the experience.

The stress people are under during cancer, such as learning about their illness, complex treatments, side effects and choosing the best course of treatment, add a considerable amount of strain to a mind already undergoing high-stress. Finding support with the Cancer Hope Network or the American Cancer Society lets families and patients know they are not alone.