I posted this at another bco community and thought it might be helpful for those facing daunting diagnoses.

One topic that's near and dear to my heart is the usefulness of personalized support groups that care for the carers as well as caring for us cancer folk.

Back in pre-Internet 1996, my friends started a Share the Care group for my partner and me, having heard my end was near. That group continued for 10 years, gradually dissembling as my primary relationship broke up.

In 2012 there was more very ominous news and that group re-assembled (includes my ex-partner) with many new members using the same model and many online resources including lotsahelpinghands forms for managing caregiving tasks, calendars and participants' needs.

Also, mylifeline.org provides free blogs for folks with cancer that allow carers to keep in touch. Mylifeline is much better than carepages or caringbridge, if you are concerned about privacy, ownership of what is shared there and commercial-free space.

BCO and other online support groups like bcmets.org and smartpatients.com are also incredible sources of free, online support. smartpatients doesn't have a strong breast cancer community, but for cancer geeks who want to cross disease boundaries, it's an incredible resource.

And I'd be remiss not to mention my cancer home since dx with advanced breast cancer in 1992 - Commonweal's Cancer Help Program. Their outreach program includes similar programs and resources, but also Healing Circles communities that meet all over N. America.

Thank you for allowing me to share these resources.

Healing regards all, Stephanie