Welcome to Part 1 of our National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Series. This week, we’ll be sharing the latest in technology, recovery and prevention. This first installment will focus on the importance of engaging with others to share and learn how to endure a breast cancer diagnosis.
Sharing brings relief
With nearly 3 million women having survived breast cancer in the United States – and hundreds of thousands currently on their journey to wellness – their collective experiences are a treasure trove of valuable learnings for women living with breast cancer.
Whether it’s engaging with others who overcame breast cancer or collaborating about healthy lifestyle tips, sharing with others can be a tremendous source of inspiration.
It’s often helpful to talk with a close friend about a problem. Sitting with a trusted gal pal and sharing an ordeal can make a woman feel just a little bit better. But in today’s digital age, we don’t need to talk face-to-face or even be life-long friends to help each other. When miles – and even continents – separate us, there are contemporary options that help women with breast cancer engage and share with others who care.
Women with breast cancer are finding it wonderfully refreshing to chat peer-to-peer in online patient forums with hundreds – or even thousands – of breast cancer survivors and others on their same journey. Thanks to digital and social media, millions are developing new bonds with others who understand firsthand what it’s like living with breast cancer.
Creating these new social support networks can help women express the emotions and worries that often come with breast cancer. Sharing their personal experiences provides emotional comfort and moral support. Women are also able to engage with others to give practical advice and coping tips about topics, such as:
- Feeling less lonely, isolated or judged
- Gaining a sense of empowerment and control
- Talking openly and honestly about their feelings
- Reducing distress, depression or anxiety
- Developing a clearer understanding of what to expect
While many women feel comfortable sharing online, some don’t embrace the idea of opening up to others about such a personal subject. Part 2 of our series will explore how technology can also help a woman contend with her breast cancer recovery.
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