* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Salem’s Harborwalk Garden Cultivates Community with Entertainment, Food, and Events – 105.7 WROR

    Discover the Vibrant Community Spirit at Salem’s Harborwalk Garden: A Hub for Entertainment, Food, and Fun!

    Entertainment-Focused Narrative and Culture Change Practice – New America

    Transforming Culture Through Engaging Entertainment Narratives

    Rising stars: Young classical musicians surging on social media – Yahoo

    Meet the Next Generation of Classical Music Sensations Making Waves on Social Media!

    Devin Harjes Dies: ‘Manifest’ & ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Actor Was 41 – WyomingNews.com

    Tragic Loss: Devin Harjes, Star of ‘Manifest’ and ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ Passes Away at 41

    Why Starz Entertainment Stock Soared Today – The Motley Fool

    Unpacking the Surge: What Fueled Starz Entertainment’s Stock Explosion Today!

    Unveiling the Enigmatic: First Looks at Destruction and Puck in ‘The Sandman

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Finland Set to Lead EU Quantum Technology Defense Project – IoT World Today

    Finland Set to Lead EU Quantum Technology Defense Project – IoT World Today

    AI for lawyers: Win back your time using technology – nationaljurist.com

    Reclaim Your Time: How AI is Transforming the Legal Profession

    Prosecutors accuse men of exporting U.S. military technology to China – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    Men Charged with Illegally Exporting U.S. Military Technology to China

    ROLAND’S NEW WIRELESS TRIGGER TECHNOLOGY, PORTER & DAVIES ON TOUR, NEW 64 AUDIO ASPIRE UNIVERSAL IEM MODELS, WAVES FREE PLUGIN PACK – Modern Drummer Magazine

    ROLAND’S NEW WIRELESS TRIGGER TECHNOLOGY, PORTER & DAVIES ON TOUR, NEW 64 AUDIO ASPIRE UNIVERSAL IEM MODELS, WAVES FREE PLUGIN PACK – Modern Drummer Magazine

    This giant microwave may change the future of war – MIT Technology Review

    Revolutionizing Warfare: The Impact of a Game-Changing Giant Microwave

    Bajeed Pattan Joins Forbes Technology Council as Innovation Leader – PRWeb

    Bajeed Pattan Takes the Helm as Innovation Leader at Forbes Technology Council!

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Salem’s Harborwalk Garden Cultivates Community with Entertainment, Food, and Events – 105.7 WROR

    Discover the Vibrant Community Spirit at Salem’s Harborwalk Garden: A Hub for Entertainment, Food, and Fun!

    Entertainment-Focused Narrative and Culture Change Practice – New America

    Transforming Culture Through Engaging Entertainment Narratives

    Rising stars: Young classical musicians surging on social media – Yahoo

    Meet the Next Generation of Classical Music Sensations Making Waves on Social Media!

    Devin Harjes Dies: ‘Manifest’ & ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Actor Was 41 – WyomingNews.com

    Tragic Loss: Devin Harjes, Star of ‘Manifest’ and ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ Passes Away at 41

    Why Starz Entertainment Stock Soared Today – The Motley Fool

    Unpacking the Surge: What Fueled Starz Entertainment’s Stock Explosion Today!

    Unveiling the Enigmatic: First Looks at Destruction and Puck in ‘The Sandman

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Finland Set to Lead EU Quantum Technology Defense Project – IoT World Today

    Finland Set to Lead EU Quantum Technology Defense Project – IoT World Today

    AI for lawyers: Win back your time using technology – nationaljurist.com

    Reclaim Your Time: How AI is Transforming the Legal Profession

    Prosecutors accuse men of exporting U.S. military technology to China – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    Men Charged with Illegally Exporting U.S. Military Technology to China

    ROLAND’S NEW WIRELESS TRIGGER TECHNOLOGY, PORTER & DAVIES ON TOUR, NEW 64 AUDIO ASPIRE UNIVERSAL IEM MODELS, WAVES FREE PLUGIN PACK – Modern Drummer Magazine

    ROLAND’S NEW WIRELESS TRIGGER TECHNOLOGY, PORTER & DAVIES ON TOUR, NEW 64 AUDIO ASPIRE UNIVERSAL IEM MODELS, WAVES FREE PLUGIN PACK – Modern Drummer Magazine

    This giant microwave may change the future of war – MIT Technology Review

    Revolutionizing Warfare: The Impact of a Game-Changing Giant Microwave

    Bajeed Pattan Joins Forbes Technology Council as Innovation Leader – PRWeb

    Bajeed Pattan Takes the Helm as Innovation Leader at Forbes Technology Council!

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

How to Find Support and Community for Advanced Breast Cancer

October 17, 2023
in Health
How to Find Support and Community for Advanced Breast Cancer
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

When Sandy Cassanelli of Glastonbury, CT, was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer 8 years ago, her first phone call was to the one person she knew would understand: a close friend who also had metastatic breast cancer. 

“She answered all of my questions and gave me hope,” says Cassanelli, who’s now 47. “She was the only woman I knew who had metastatic disease. If I hadn’t reached out to her right away, I would have gone onto the internet and read all sorts of statistics predicting I wouldn’t make it through the next 5 years. But she told me right away not to do that. She said, ‘don’t view it as a death sentence.’”

Cassanelli is busy today raising her two daughters and running the Breast Friends Fund, a nonprofit charity where 100% of funds raised go directly to metastatic breast cancer research. One reason why she thinks she’s survived — and thrived — is all the social support she’s had over the years. 

“I’ve made so many connections over the years with truly amazing women,” she says. “While sadly, I think I’ve lost more friends than I’ve made, their journeys have also given me strength to carry on.”

Overall research suggests that those with more social support may have better quality of life after breast cancer treatment. But it’s less clear how social support affects survival. One study looked at more than 2,800 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Those who reported that they felt socially isolated were twice as likely to die from the disease as those with stronger social networks. One reason is because they may not have had the benefit of caregiving from friends, relatives, and even children. But experts also say that connecting with others is an important form of self-care. 

“A diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer is forever: there’s no magic cure and it means a lifetime of scans every 3 to 6 months,” says Jean Sachs, chief executive officer of the nonprofit organization Living Beyond Breast Cancer. “Many women resist a community at the beginning because they are so focused on treatment. But they need the social support of others, particularly other women who have gone through similar experiences, so that they can become their own effective health advocates.”

Connecting With People Who Get It

Your health care team will offer medical advice, and your family and friends will offer caretaking and emotional support. But people with metastatic breast cancer say that connecting with women who have had a shared experience is key. 

“There is no better support than the support of someone living with the same life-threatening illness that you live with,” says Tami Bowling, 49, a metastatic breast cancer survivor who lives in Scotch Plains, NJ. “They understand the severity of the diagnosis. They get the heartache you feel about mourning the life that you thought you would have, but they also share the same desire to make the most of every day. There’s a special connection there that you won’t find with anyone else.”

Natalie Hyman, 46, a metastatic breast cancer survivor who lives in Kailua, HI, agrees. “When you are given a terminal diagnosis, it brings up a lot of emotions that you may not be comfortable sharing with close family and friends,” she explains. “It feels liberating to speak to other women who understand. It’s also very helpful to share our stories about the different treatments we’ve tried, and our experiences with physicians. Knowledge is power. The more we share with each other, the more we feel the confidence to advocate for ourselves.”

Getting this social support early — within days or even hours of a diagnosis — is critical, says Abbey Kaler, a nurse navigator at the Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. “It’s life changing to know you have metastatic breast cancer, so (people) need to be able to understand what that means, not just for themselves, but for their immediate family,” she says. “The presence of social support is pivotal in terms of being able to process this diagnosis.”

It may also help you make life-lasting memories. Soon after her diagnosis, Cassanelli remembers participating in a fashion show with others to raise money for breast cancer research. 

“The first time I met (them) was the day before the fashion show. We spent the next 48 hours together, and really bonded. It felt so empowering walking down the runway with other women who were also fighting the same disease. There were ten of us originally, and now we are down to three. But we all keep in touch,” says Cassanelli.

How to Find Your Breast Cancer Community

Ask around. Kaler says the first step is identifying a medical provider you feel comfortable talking to. “It can be anyone on your health care team: a doctor, a nurse, a social worker, or a nurse navigator,” she says. Then ask them for resources to help. The cancer center where you are being treated may have a formal support group for those with metastatic breast cancer, or they may be able to connect you with someone in the area. 

You can also reach out to organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, CancerCare, or METAvivor. Many of these groups also have social media pages on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram where you can connect with others. In October 2022, Bowling herself organized #LightUpMBC, a global campaign that benefits METAvivor to shine a light and raise funds for metastatic breast cancer research. 

“It was so inspiring to connect with women around the world with the common goal to educate and raise funds for research,” she says. “There’s a fearlessness and a passion among all of us who live with metastatic breast cancer, and a recognition that we are all united in fighting for our lives.”

Attend breast cancer conferences. Most now offer online options where you can join virtually, listen to speakers, and connect with other metastatic breast cancer survivors. Hyman has found many members of her tribe this way. 

“Living Beyond Breast Cancer has a wonderful online conference that I’ve attended the last couple of years,” she says. “I’ve not only met women from all over the country, but I’ve met women who live near me that I’d never have crossed paths with otherwise.” Last year, Hyman connected with another survivor who happens to live in her condo complex. “I introduced her to our local metastatic breast cancer support group that she hadn’t yet connected with,” she recalls. 

Lean on family and friends as needed. Even though they may not be able to understand exactly what you’re going through, they are there to support you. 

“My rock throughout this has been my younger sister, Alli, who has come with me to every single cancer scan over the years,” says Bowling. “Since we have to go into New York City, we make it as pleasant as we can: we have dinner the night before at a nice restaurant, stay the night at a friend’s apartment, and then the whole next day we’re at the hospital doing blood work and bone scans.” 

Pay it forward. Sometimes, when you are grappling with metastatic breast cancer, it’s all you can do to take care of yourself. But during those times that you’re up for it, reach out to other people with metastatic breast cancer, too. “One of the most important things you can do to give back is simply to share your story with others,” says Bowling. “It’s cathartic for you, and it gives other women hope and also the realization that they’re not alone.” 

Photo Credit: LUCY LAMBRIEX / Getty Images

SOURCES:

Sandy Cassanelli, 47, breast cancer advocate, Glastonbury, CT.

Jean Sachs, MSS, MSLP, chief executive officer, Living Beyond Breast Cancer.

Tami Bowling, 49, breast cancer advocate, Scotch Plains, NJ.

Natalie Hyman, 46, breast cancer advocate, Kailua, HI.

Abbey Kaler, MS, APRN, nurse navigator, Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.

Journal of Clinical Oncology: “Social Networks, Social Support, and Survival After Breast Cancer Diagnosis.”

Susan G Komen Foundation: “Social Support and Breast Cancer Survival.”

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : WebMD – https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/features/build-breast-cancer-community?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Tags: communityhealthSupport
Previous Post

Pictures: Embracing My Body After Being Diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Next Post

Advanced Breast Cancer: What People Are Thinking

Plan to control nonpoint sources of pollution – Washington State Department of Ecology (.gov)

Taking Charge: Strategies to Tackle Nonpoint Source Pollution in Washington State

June 3, 2025
The Uncertain and Shifting Future of Ph.D.s in Science – Undark Magazine

Navigating the Unpredictable Future of Science Ph.D.s: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

June 3, 2025
‘Sport Science’ host John Brenkus dies after battle with depression – ABC News

‘Sport Science’ host John Brenkus dies after battle with depression – ABC News

June 3, 2025
Cost of ‘minimum retirement lifestyle’ has fallen amid lower energy prices – London Evening Standard

Affordable Retirement: How Lower Energy Prices Are Redefining Minimum Lifestyle Costs

June 3, 2025
Opinion | Poland Just Sent an Ominous Signal to the World – The New York Times

Poland’s Alarming Message to the Global Community

June 3, 2025
Report ranks Iowa as state with the worst economy – KCRG

Report ranks Iowa as state with the worst economy – KCRG

June 3, 2025
Salem’s Harborwalk Garden Cultivates Community with Entertainment, Food, and Events – 105.7 WROR

Discover the Vibrant Community Spirit at Salem’s Harborwalk Garden: A Hub for Entertainment, Food, and Fun!

June 3, 2025
18 High-Protein Breakfasts for Better Gut Health – EatingWell

Boost Your Gut Health with These 18 Delicious High-Protein Breakfasts!

June 3, 2025
Diagnosis for 6.2.25: Checking the pulse of Florida health care news and policy – Florida Politics

Diagnosis for 6.2.25: Checking the pulse of Florida health care news and policy – Florida Politics

June 3, 2025
Finland Set to Lead EU Quantum Technology Defense Project – IoT World Today

Finland Set to Lead EU Quantum Technology Defense Project – IoT World Today

June 3, 2025

Categories

Archives

June 2025
MTWTFSS
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30 
« May    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (662)
  • Economy (676)
  • Entertainment (21,582)
  • General (15,258)
  • Health (9,719)
  • Lifestyle (679)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (677)
  • Politics (685)
  • Science (15,897)
  • Sports (21,181)
  • Technology (15,663)
  • World (664)

Recent News

Plan to control nonpoint sources of pollution – Washington State Department of Ecology (.gov)

Taking Charge: Strategies to Tackle Nonpoint Source Pollution in Washington State

June 3, 2025
The Uncertain and Shifting Future of Ph.D.s in Science – Undark Magazine

Navigating the Unpredictable Future of Science Ph.D.s: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

June 3, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version