In the year 2009 around 5400 women and around 50 men will die from breast cancer in Canada alone. It is predicted that one in every nine women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. One in 28 will die from the disease but about 2/3’s will survive. Since 1969, the incidence of breast cancer and the death rate from it for women who are from age 20 to age 39 has decreased.

Support groups are a very important part of the lives of not only the cancer patient and to survivors, but also the patients family and of course to the caregiver who tends to the patient. One of the first things that a woman, or anyone, should do is to remember that they are not alone. In the world there are over 26 million people who are diagnosed with breast cancer and around a million each year will be told that they have the disease.

Each person who gets the news of their disease will deal with it in their own way, but all have so much in common and all can share their stories with each other. There are many ways to finding the right road to take toward healing.

The task you are taking on will not be an easy one in the beginning. Informing your family and friends and getting their support is important as well as understanding exactly what is going on inside your body. Knowing all the treatments that are available to you and having a good treatment support team is vital. Making sure that when you are to begin your treatments for recovery that you stick to the plan and follow through will ensure that you are heading down the right road to recovery.

Having some degree of fear of the unknown is perfectly normal as well as depression and even panic. These feelings could be part of your daily life for a long time. Knowing how to deal with these fears will contribute to your improvement.

Remember that whether you have been told that your kind of cancer is treatable or terminal, the quality of your life is important and fear should not take away what ever time you may have. You are alive today so live life one day at a time and decide for yourself just how well you want to live. Look at what is most important to you and set goals and reassess your values and decide what you need to be happy.

Part of living a life with cancer is to continue to do the things that you would normally do. All the things that are part of your routine need not end just because of a diagnosis of cancer. Be as active as you always were and try as many new things as you would have without the cancer in your life. Remember that you have control over your life not the cancer.

Learn all that you can about the type of cancer you have and write it down. Having the good support team you will need, will help to make life run smoother. Get a second opinion and be as informed as you can.

Sharing your story when you are ready and who you share the story with is all up to you. With this disease you have an instant connection with millions who know what you are going through. Hearing the stories of others will help to make your life easier.

Breast cancer changes your whole life and knowing that you are not alone and that someone else is going through or has gone through the same experience can give you comfort and take away some of your fears.

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