Diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in her early thirties, Trish Michelle faced the overwhelming realities of cancer treatment while trying to live her busy life.
“Navigating that as a mother on top of everything else is a lot for anyone but then to be navigating that on top of [breast cancer] it just seems like it never stops sometimes,” she tells SurvivorNet.
Read MoreStrength in numbers
Michelle says she found an invaluable source of strength in support groups and cancer advocacy organizations. The power of having an entire community backing her gave her a ready resource for practical advice and information that were crucial as she navigated through cancer treatment. It also helped her emotionally.“The best way I can tell you that can help is finding a strong community that are your people – your tribe that’ll be there through thick thin and everything in between,” she advises.
Among these groups, The Breasties stood out, Michelle says.
The Breasties is a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping young women with breast cancer build support networks. They create a space for sharing experiences, offering guidance, and empowering women as they navigate through their diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Michelle found it to be a source of empathy, understanding, and invaluable information. She found strength in the collective experiences and the resilience community members shared with each other.
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Closer to home
Beyond formal support groups, Michelle stressed the importance of having people be there for you. Anyone helping someone through breast cancer should focus on providing practical, consistent help. Offering a helping hand with the kids, a meal, and other everyday tasks can mean a lot for someone who is going through treatment that may leave them feeling weak and exhausted.
But the most important thing that supporters of breast cancer survivors can do is simply just to be there.
“It’s kind of better to say the wrong thing but be there than not be there at all because it’s really devastating when people disappear,” she says. “The best support you can give is just listening, lending support, not leaving them.”
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