Breast Cancer Doctor Visits & Family Members' Fears

Dr. JAY HARNESS: \expnd0\expndtw0\kerning0 A potential real challenge for breast cancer patients is how they deal with their friends, family, and coworkers as they go through the treatment of breast cancer. I mean quite frankly, you have fear undergoing chemotherapy and losing your hair. People are going to pick up pretty quickly that you have lost your hair or you are wearing a wig or whatever. \ \pard\tx2367\pardeftab720\pardirnatural\qj \cf0 \ You may be needing time off. You may be needing a variety of other support. You may need a big hug from friends because of all the pressures that you are dealing with. \ \ I have recently done another video about how you deal with children in the face of the diagnosis of breast cancer and I would encourage you to watch that. But let\'92s focus for a moment on family members, friends and coworkers, and I think the number one thing you need to assure them is that you are in good hands, you are working, hopefully, with a multidisciplinary team and a group of very competent folks, and that the current treatment for breast cancer isn\'92t grandmother\'92s treatment. It\'92s not theoretical disfiguring kinds of surgeries that we have done in the past. Our chemotherapy, if you will excuse the expression, is kinder and gentler than some of the chemotherapies that we have done in the past. The side effects from radiation therapy are much better tolerated than they have been in the past and our expectation is that you are going to return to a completely normal life after you go through the various phases of your treatment. \ \ So in my experience, the best answer is openness, honesty, bringing in family members, bringing in coworkers (I have had that done), friends, who can sit there and listen as we explain to you the kinds of things you are going through and just keep reassuring them that you are going to be okay, and then most importantly I think they are concerned about you. Please open yourself up to the love and compassion that people have for you at this very trying time. \expnd0\expndtw0\kerning0 Susan Denver: I am a breast cancer survivor. \ \ \ \ Katherine Stockton: I am a breast cancer survivor. Coree: I am a breast cancer survivor. \ \ Susan Denver: And I want every woman to know\'85 \ \ Katherine Stockton: \'85about personalized breast cancer treatment\'85 \ \ Susan Denver: \'85and the Genomic Test. \ \ Coree: A test that helps guide a woman and her doctor\'85 \ \ Katherine Stockton: \'85to the best treatment options for her. \ \ Susan Denver: Pass it on! }