My mum has just been diagnosed with breast cancer

I have recently found out my mum has breast cancer and is going to have a mastectomy and have radiotherapy and possible chemo after.

I work in health care and gave end of life care to a breast cancer patient last year and I found it really challenging, watching the patient suffer and deteriorate. Her passing hit me really hard and all the time I was at the hospital and hospice with her, I prayed it wouldn't be my family one day.

My mums wish is for me to concentrate on keeping myself mentally well but I cant help but worry about her. She's a tall, strong woman and I just can't imagine her vulnerable and sick. I feel pressure to keep it together for my family and for the sake of my mum but inside I am imploding. 

I need to keep it together so that I am able to support her, does anyone have any tips on how to keep sane day to day with it and keep the worry at bay?

Grateful in advance. 

  • Hi there ...

    I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 ... I came on here scared an thinking all breast cancers only ended one way ... a lovely lady on here took me under her wing... and met other breast lasses on here around the same time .. about 5/6 of us ... all different stages and treatments... one lass started a thread on here called the good and bad ... all of us just helping each other through the ups and downs ..

    Now three years on, wer all still here .. most of the others have gone back to their life post cancer....

    So what I learned was live in the day .. take every problem as and when it comes up... know there's lots of highs and lows ... but it is doable .. 

    It's o.k to say to each other ... your both scared .. it's o.k to share tears ... or even smiles along the way .. cancer has come a long way ... and if you can support each other .. look cancer in the eye ... and punch it strait back ... coz it wants us all scared .. lay down and never get up... but together wer strong ... 

    So hold on in there ... and you'll always get support on here ... I've been on both sides .. and I think it's harder watching those we love going through this .. so sending a vertual hug... Chrissie x