Breast Cancer Support Groups
What are breast cancer support groups?
Support groups are groups of people in similar life situations who meet regularly to talk about what they’re going through in a safe, supportive environment.
Even if you’re surrounded by a strong support system, dealing with all the feelings, changes, and questions that cancer can bring can feel lonely and isolating. Support groups provide an outlet to talk about your experiences and make meaningful connections with others who are navigating similar challenges. These groups can also help you cope with the uncertainties of your condition and learn about treatment options that other people with similar diagnoses have tried.
Additionally, support groups may help you to:
form deep connections with people facing similar diagnoses or in similar stages of life
share the lessons you’ve learned at different stages of the cancer experience with others
learn how to better advocate for yourself
speak openly about your fears
identify new resources for understanding your disease and treatment plan
Benefits of support groups
There has been extensive research on the positive effects of support groups as a method of coping with cancer, improving quality of life, and improving health outcomes. Studies show that support groups help reduce unwanted aloneness, loss of control, and loss of hope.
One Breastcancer.org community member shared, “I literally could not have gotten through this without the help of this group. Having their face-to-face (virtual) support each week to check in and discuss everyone’s status helps to connect and reaffirm that I am not alone in this. Family and friends are great, but this is the #1 thing I have done for my mental and emotional health throughout treatment.”
A 2019 study evaluated the effectiveness of psychoeducational support groups, both for women with breast cancer and for their caregivers. The study found evidence that participating in a support group can help to reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, and more in people living with breast cancer while also increasing their ability to adapt to their situation. For caregivers, the study found that support groups can help to increase coping strategies, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, and satisfy their need for more information.
Another 2019 study found that women in Spain who participated in support groups for six weeks experienced reduced anxiety and depression, as well as improved quality of life that lasted for at least 3 months.
How do breast cancer support groups work?
Support groups are typically organized in two ways:
Open membership: Open membership means that members can come and go freely, and long-term commitment is not required. If your schedule isn't consistent or you aren’t sure you have the energy for regular meetings, this may be the type of group for you.
Closed membership: Closed membership means that members must register and commit to a certain number of sessions to participate. Once a specific number of people have signed up, the group is closed to new members. This helps members to establish consistency and to get to know each other better.
Support groups can either be in-person or online. There are even some support groups that only meet over the phone.
In-person support groups often take place at a hospital, community center, or local cancer organization. In-person groups may be good for you if you prefer connecting with others face-to-face.
Online breast cancer support groups typically meet over Zoom or similar virtual platforms and can participate from wherever they’re located. These are especially good for people who can't travel to meetings, live in rural areas, have compromised immune systems, or are seeking more ease and flexibility in connecting to others. Many of these online groups also allow people to join over their telephone.
Support groups may be professionally facilitated or facilitated by fellow members of the group.
Groups that are professionally organized and facilitated have experience in setting up groups, helping members all get time to talk, connecting them to others as well as helpful resources, and are trained to engage the group about emotions that may arise during the sessions. Professional facilitators may or may not have had personal experience with breast cancer.
Groups organized by members from the group (may also be called peer support): Facilitators who emerge from the support group they were a member and likely have personal experience with breast cancer. These people may or may not have had professional training in managing groups.
Some groups are free of charge, while others may ask for a nominal membership fee.
Who attends (are they in treatment, beyond treatment, metastatic, caregivers)?
How long do the meetings last?
How many people typically attend?
How frequently does the group meet?
May I attend more than one of the groups?
Who facilitates the meetings — is this person professionally trained or someone from the group?
What is the format of the meetings?
Is the main purpose to share feelings, or do people also offer tips to solve common problems?
May I just listen, or do I need to participate?
Alternatives to breast cancer support groups
Support groups can be helpful for many, but there are also additional options to help you cope with cancer and feel less alone. Depending on your personality and unique circumstances, these can be utilized instead of or in addition to a support group:
talk with others in online discussion forums (for example, you may want to check out the Breastcancer.org Community Forum)
connect with a social worker or professional at your treatment facility
seek individual, couples, or family counseling with a social worker, therapist, and/or psychiatrist (for example, for ongoing problems such as depression or marital issues)
explore classes or workshops geared toward people newly diagnosed or in treatment for cancer that are offered by your cancer center or health system — classes may include exercise, yoga, meditation, or cooking
consider physical and occupational therapy and complementary therapies
one-on-one support/connections such as Imerman Angels or similar mentor matchup programs
You may also find that a support group is helpful during one phase of your treatment, but not so helpful in another phase. For example, if you've just been diagnosed, it may feel overwhelming if some people in the group are going through the stress of a recurrence.
Join the Breastcancer.org community
Breastcancer.org's virtual support groups help people find support and community — whether you were just diagnosed, undergoing treatment, managing metastatic breast cancer, or even caregiving for a partner with metastatic breast cancer.
Breastcancer.org’s virtual support groups are all free of charge, professionally facilitated groups that meet weekly. There are several different meeting times and groups based on your unique situation.
These virtual support groups provide a safe and intimate setting, ranging from six to 25 participants, allowing people to share their personal experiences and connect with others facing similar breast cancer challenges.
While informal patient meetup groups are happening around the world on social channels, Breastcancer.org virtual support groups offer experienced, compassionate facilitators together with peer-to-peer conversation.
Before, during, and after each virtual meetup, Breastcancer.org’s facilitators provide medically reviewed information and are on hand to clarify misinformation or misconceptions related to diagnoses, treatment, and care management.
If the virtual support groups aren’t for you, consider joining our free community discussion boards to ask questions, offer support, and make connections on your own time. You can even fill out a diagnostic and treatment profile so that you can track your experience and share a snapshot of your diagnosis and treatment with others in the community to create connections. Breastcancer.org also has a Spanish community.
Hear directly from members of Breastcancer.org’s virtual community about forming bonds with others whose lives have been changed by cancer in this podcast episode and video.
— Last updated on May 21, 2025 at 4:23 PM