Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hello everyone I wonder if I could ask for your help please? I'm currently planning a project to produce a resource for breast cancer clinics. The resource will be a booklet of 50 or more positive stories of women's experiences with breast cancer. Why am I doing this? When I was diagnosed with primary and secondary breast cancer, I was given a great deal of medical information. However, there was thing I was not given at this time, which was very much needed -HOPE. I needed to know that I at least stood some chance of getting through this awful experience, to survive and to get back to being me. At the time of my diagnosis, nothing I was given gave me any reason to believe this was possible. It was only much later, when I felt strong enough to put "breast cancer" into Google and find this forum, ignore the scary stuff, and find positive stories of women who had overcome seemingly impossible odds, to regain health and a chance to achieve remission and thrive with their cancer. I would like every single woman diagnosed with breast cancer to be given a booklet of verified, positive stories from the UK, at the time when they are most vulnerable, and feel that they have a task ahead of them similar to climbing Everest without a rope! It's also a time when women can feel very alone, and I also hope that the booklet can contain details of forums such as this one. I aim to start with my own hospital in London, but hopefully I would like the booklet to be distributed to every breast clinic throughout the country. I am looking for permission to reproduce stories of women with every type and stage of breast cancer, from DCIS, to stage IV. I only wish to use first names, or even a pseudonym, so the stories will be anonymous. The important thing is the detail and accuracy of the experience. Just imagine on the day of your diagnosis or initial appointments, amid the shock of hearing what lies ahead, you had been given a booklet of positive stories to share with family and friends. It might just have given you that glimmer of hope, and the ability to think 'I can do this!' If you'd like to write your story for the booklet, please reply to this thread. Many thanks for reading Mini xx ... View more

Hi! Is anyone 10 years + following a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer? I'm almost 43 and was diagnosed late last year with HER2+ BC with 7 positive lymph nodes and small lung mets. I'm doing well after treatment but it's been a hard road to travel and I often wonder what the future holds. I have my radiotherapy to come, and I'm on Herceptin and Perjeta for as long as I can tolerate it. I've often thought BC clinics should have a buddy system, matching women who are newly diagnosed with survivors in a similar situation. I know it would have really helped me get through some really tough times after diagnosis. Thanks. Mini xx ... View more