Nine months ago my life was forever changed when I got the phone call confirming all three breast biopsies were malignant. A few days later, a pet scan confirmed that my breast cancer had spread to my liver. In that moment, my world turned upside down and my perspective on life was forever changed.
I was looking for a way to connect to other young women and was so happy to learn of the YSC Online Video Support Groups. As a 42 year-old mother of two young children, it’s hard to get a babysitter and leave the house, so this was the perfect way to help myself right from my home. It was so helpful to see the faces of the other participants while relating to their struggles. Each week, the moderator covered different topics and the participants offered different perspectives. It was helpful to know that I was not alone and that there is a way to live happy, despite breast cancer and metastatic disease.
Here are a few key takeaways from the sessions I attended:
- Life is 10% of what happens and 90% of how you react to it. Take it day by day and conquer each battle one day at a time. In the meantime, smell the sweet roses along the way.
- Your faith has to be stronger than your fear. Look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are strong and that you are beautiful.
- Life is really about relationships. The relationships you have with your friends, your family, your work colleagues and yourself. It's too often that we just get through our days without doing what we really want to do. I encourage you all to write down your dreams, both big and small, and set forth to make them happen.
I'm still terrified that I may not live a long life, but thanks to my support group I'm more determined than ever to live a meaningful, happy life.
Good news! You can register for the next YSC Online Video Support Group sessions! We currently offer 3 different online video support groups that meet once a month. Register for the one that's right for you: In Treatment, Metastatic or 30 and Under.
Each group is professionally led and you can drop-in on any group at anytime as they run continuously.
