Getting the Support You Need

Once the extent of cancer is known, you, your family, and your doctors need to sit down together and talk about what treatment will work best for you. Make sure you have a supportive team of doctors.

You also will probably find it helpful if you have support at home and at work while you are having treatment. Breast cancer treatment can make you tired and unable to do some, most, or all of your usual activities. But many people are eager to help:

• Community organizations and religious groups often have volunteers who can help you with childcare, meals, or other daily needs.
• Friends and neighbors can help fill your freezer with precooked meals for those days when your energy is low. Or they can pitch in with food shopping, carpooling, or childcare.
• Co-workers are often willing to do more than their share so you can cut back your responsibilities at work. Consider limiting your work hours, if possible. Arrange to do some work from home.
• You can get support from a "cybersister" on the Discussion Boards and in the chat rooms here at Breastcancer.org 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Another excellent place to get support is www.bcmets.org, a Web site devoted to women with metastatic breast disease.