*Things to Do When Someone You Know has Breast Cancer is a guest post written by Mischa Bergeron from mischabergeron.com. You can also find her on Twitter.*
One in four women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Two years ago I was one.
Without the love and support of my family and friends I am not sure how I would have managed
to get through the dark days. Surprisingly, many people do not have support or their loved ones
don’t show up the way mine did. It can be tough to know what to say or do and many times what
seems like a slight might be someone just trying to be respectful and step back to wait for the
patient to re-emerge.
There are a few things people can do upon hearing the dreadful news that will lift the spirits of
breast cancer patients.
Show Solidarity
Show you care by showing solidarity. It can be anything from getting t-shirts with the person’s
name and a cute slogan like “you got this and we got you” #teamkate. If that isn’t an option,
things as simple as wearing a pink ribbon band, learning about breast cancer or offering to take
the person to the doctor all show support that can be incredibly helpful when days are tough.
Show Kindness
One thing that can be difficult for anyone going through treatment is preparing meals.
Organizing a meal drop off through apps that allow people to sign up for delivery is a great idea
and shows kindness.
Show Thoughtfulness
Being thoughtful about how a person might want to communicate with family and friends can
include organizing a Zoom call, regular check-ins or a quick text message can show you are
thinking of the person.
Show Generosity
Many people are not aware how high the cost of treatment can run even with the best health
insurance plans. Many plans only pay 80 percent of the total cost of chemotherapy. For an
average patient needing chemo that can run in the hundred thousands meaning your friend or
family could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in copays. Setting up a fundraiser is often
helpful to offset the costs. Knowing the cost might spur you and others to donate when seeing a
request online.
While breast cancer treatment is improving health outcomes faster than ever before, supporting
friends and family going through treatment can be as easy as showing up in the smallest of
ways and that can go a long way.
Mischa Bergeron is a freelance writer and content strategist in the health and education sectors at mischabergeron.com. She is also a breast cancer survivor.
