I’ll never forget doing a ward round as a young nurse and having to take the drains out of a very distressed and extremely emotional woman who had just had a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. She was in her mid 30’s and in total shock, unprepared for what she had been through and seeing her body afterwards.
- Supporting breast cancer patients
- Breast cancer survivors from deprived areas at higher risk of second cancers
- Breast screening women their 40s could save hundreds of lives
That was over 20 years ago but I think of her most days. I was working on a general surgical ward and had no idea how to help her but I knew I had to learn.
I went on to specialise in cancer care working in the NHS and private hospitals and I am currently Clinical Breast Care Nurse Specialist for Future Dreams breast cancer charity.
What I know now is that her reaction was not unusual. The mental impact of breast cancer on some patients can be as huge as the physical shock. It is not just the adjustment to a new body but coming to terms with the effect the disease and its treatments can have on their confidence and sense of self. Some are plunged into early menopause in their 20s and 30s with debilitating effects including loss of fertility or it can be constant fatigue and fear of recurrence which make a return to ‘normal’ life a constant challenge.
The aim of Future Dreams is to stop anyone going through breast cancer alone or without hope. We know from research and conversations happening daily in Future Dreams house that an overwhelming sense of loneliness can be one of the biggest problems.
Sometimes it is most acute at the end of treatment when their loved ones are full of joy, but they are left feeling scared, cut adrift from the care and support of their hospital breast care teams.
They feel guilty and ungrateful, after the initial glow of being told they have no evidence of disease, because they are left with an over-riding emotion of ‘what do I do now?’ Their routine of hospital appointments is over and they are expected to grab life when they are no-longer sure what that means to them anymore and they are terrified of cancer coming back.
Which is where Future Dreams comes in. We offer practical and emotional support with all the challenges of breast cancer, whether a patient is newly diagnosed and worried about chemotherapy-induced-hair loss, going back to work, resuming a loving sexual relationship with their partner or dealing with a secondary diagnosis. We run sessions in person and online.0
We have the time, something that is so hard to find in the NHS (I will quite often spend two hours deep-diving issues with individuals if needed) plus a wide range of experts, friendly community meet-ups, and specialist classes. If you have patients who are struggling get them to look at https://futuredreams.org.uk/ and contact us if they are struggling to find what they need.