Talking to Your Family and Friends About Breast Cancer

Breaking the news that you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer can be just as difficult as first hearing that news from your doctor. You may feel concerned about upsetting your family and friends or worried about how they will react. Even after you have shared the news, at times you may find it difficult to communicate openly. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable to ask for help, answer questions about how you’re doing, or tell well-meaning relatives and friends that you need some time and space for yourself.

This section offers some tips for talking about breast cancer with your family and friends. Naturally, the conversation is likely to change whether you are talking with a close relative or acquaintance, an adult or a child. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are the one who guides the conversation and decides how much information you do or do not wish to share. The content and the tone are entirely up to you.

This section includes tips for:

• Talking to Your Spouse or Life Partner
• Talking to Young Children
• Talking to Older Children and Teens
• Talking to Other Relatives and Friends
• Finding Someone Else to Talk to