October is #breastcancerawarenessmonth which aims to raise awareness about the impact of the disease and encourage people to regularly check themselves for signs and symptoms.
Over the last 12 months 49% of the women who came to CancerCare for support with a diagnosis, did so due to breast cancer, so it is a huge area of our work.
We offer support to people during and after treatment, including one-to-one counselling, complementary therapies and group support such as art therapy, pilates and yoga. Many of our aromatherapists specialise in Simple Lymphatic Drainage massage which helps alleviate the build up of lymph fluid following surgery.
We also have a dedicated Facebook group called Phoenix and many of the members have experience of breast cancer and support each other with emotional support and advice about anything from the side-effects of medication to tips on the best foods to eat. Many members say the support they get in Phoenix, from people with real experience of coping with breast cancer, is invaluable to them. To join Phoenix search Facebook for Phoenix Cancer Group or email sarah.drake@cancercare.org.uk for details.