Support Groups

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floodclan
floodclan Member Posts: 6
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I'm just curious to see how many of you wonderful women take part in breast cancer support groups. When I was first diagnosed and throughout my treatment, I really didn't want to discuss it too much. But now that I'm trying to get back to "normal", I find that I sometimes have very scary or depressing thoughts, and I don't think anyone who hasn't been there could possibly understand.

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  • purplemb
    purplemb Member Posts: 1,542
    edited June 2007
    dear flood, this is the support group I use...very small town, I found this place after my DX...and come everyday...have made lots of friends who understand that just in a blink of an eye your mood can change and BC is what you are thinking about...even years after the fact...
    MB
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  • sflow
    sflow Member Posts: 297
    edited June 2007

    Same here--my doctor pushed me big time to get into one, but driving into the city at night would just bring me more stress--prefer sitting at home by my computer and logging onto this site.

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  • CaliforniaKate
    CaliforniaKate Member Posts: 258
    edited June 2007

    I'm in a support group that meets once a month in the afternoon. We've become a great group of fiends, and also do a once a month lunch. Ours is a really loosely run group, which I think makes it so special. There's nothing quite like having a group of friends that have all felt your darkest fears, and are there to support you if you need it. Kate

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  • rumoret
    rumoret Member Posts: 685
    edited June 2007
    Would be interested in having a few sisters to meet with. I have one girlfriend and mother who had breast cancer. I live in Modesto, Ca if anyone should want to meet and have lunch.

    Love,
    Terry
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  • LisaSDCA
    LisaSDCA Member Posts: 2,230
    edited June 2007
    Here in San Diego, we have a very informal monthly gathering of BC.org sisters (see the San Diego thread under the Get Togethers forum). We welcome all comers, anytime. We don't do any 'therapy', as it is just us with no facilitator. But gathering with these friends is more therapeutic than ANY support group I have visited. We all "get it", we all care about each other, and we have a good time catching up in person once a month. We're meeting Saturday 6/23 and I cannot wait!

    Lisa
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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited June 2007
    I go to one of the few christian support groups in my area. They are greatest group of people that work every day with other in the group. No once a month. They call regularly, send cards, take other to lunch, and are the best prayer warriors around.
    My first group was through the American Cancer Society. I found it very cold and water down. Most of the women had cancer many years before and did not want to hear what other were dealing with. So look for a group that fits your needs.

    Living in hope.
    FlaLady
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  • jasmine
    jasmine Member Posts: 1,286
    edited July 2008
    Since I worked full time through treatment and still today, I found it hard to find a support group that met in the evening. I did find one but after working all day, I was just too tired to go to a meeting and only wanted to come home and put a huge dent in my sofa so I started using the chatroom here at this site. I practically camped there and one time a newbie asked if I was the admin since I was always there. You might find what you need in the chatroom.
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  • fireba
    fireba Member Posts: 59
    edited June 2007

    I attend a weekly support group through Gilda's Club. I initially went there to find a group for my 9yo daughter, but they roped me into attending one as well, and I liked it so much I've been going ever since. It's all women, but mixed cancers and stages. There is a facilitator, but she very much lets us lead the conversation. Although these boards were my lifeline in the first weeks post-diagnosis, I get a lot out of the face-to-face support group. Last week I was talking about my kids, and I started crying, and someone handed me a tissue, and they waited for me and gently allowed me to say the hardest things, the meanest, most horrible things, the things I didn't want to admit I was even thinking...you can't get that from the internet. I look forward to going all week long, and my daughter does her group at the same time, so it's very good for both of us.

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  • LisaSDCA
    LisaSDCA Member Posts: 2,230
    edited June 2007
    I have heard wonderful things about Gilda's Clubs from friends in other parts of the country. Unfortunately there is ONE in the entire state of CA, and not near me. They say it's a 2-3 yr. process to get one going and "at this time Gilda’s Club Worldwide is focused on developing Gilda’s Club organizations only in several key markets due to limited staff and resources."
    phooey

    Lisa
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  • CaliforniaKate
    CaliforniaKate Member Posts: 258
    edited June 2007

    Lisa, your group sounds like it runs the way ours does. We did have a facilitator a few years ago, but she moved. Then the group just started running itself. The hospital we met at let us keep the room, and sometimes they bring in a speaker. Otherwise, we're just a group that cares about each other.

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  • Benita
    Benita Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2008

    This is my first chat ever.   I'm in a lonely fight with Inflammatory BC.  Was supposed to die March of 2006 and am still here.  Chose to go an alternative direction with my BC but feel so alone most days in my effort to keep alive.  Not sure what I'm looking for in this chat room....thought there would be some sharing and gleaning of helps and support.  Is there anyone out there who has a similar cancer who would like to chat?  It would be nice to just talk to someone who knows how I feel.  Anyone?

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited March 2008

    Benita,

    Glad you join us. Sorry you are having such a bad time.  Did you know we have a IBC only section?  Also there is a Alternative section that I like also.  We would love to have you be a part of our little group there, anytime you would like to join us.

    Do post in other areas and our lovely ladies will come running.  This site has some very special ladies.

    Living in hope,

    Flalady

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008
    This is my one and only support network.  I don't like going to the hospital support groups-I was 31 when dx, so I am considerably younger than everyone else. 

    Here, I am just a sister like everyone else!
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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited March 2008

    There is a BC support group at the medical center where I'm being treated.  It meets once a month, for about an hour. The medical center is a 2-hour drive from where I live (each way), so the group would have to have a lot of value-added for me to drive 4+ hours round-trip just for a 1-hour session.

    Also, I'm not sure who the other participants would be, or how much we would have in common except they would have had some sort of BC at some point in their lives.

    It is MUCH easier, and way more convenient, to log on to these BCO discussion boards whenever I need someone to talk to.  There is always somebody hanging around, or someone I "know" will drop by within an hour or two.  Also, there are lots of women in exactly the same situation I'm in, at this same stage in their dx & treatment, and many have exactly the same type of BC.  So I can get support from people who know what I'm talking about, rather than having to imagine it.

    I have nothing against in-person support groups.  If there was one that was located nearby and met often enough to actually be of any help, I'd drop in for sure.  Until then, I'll keep my laptop handy.

    otter 

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  • Negative3Grade3
    Negative3Grade3 Member Posts: 111
    edited March 2008

    I prefer this group myself, too. Easier to connect although we may have huge diferences (e.g. in terms of age, family status, etc.), we can focus on what brings us together.

    --Christina

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  • CalGal
    CalGal Member Posts: 469
    edited March 2008

    Like many here at bco, I consider this a source of support.  I really love the way they have the main topics as separate sections, with the threads relevant to those topics - so we have certain things in common, be it Triple Negs, Mets, Chemo, etc.

    However, I also usually attend a weekly support group for "women with mets".  Although it's open to women with all types of cancer, it's mostly bc.  For whatever reason, in the cancer world, this group is younger, pretty much 30-50.  I've made some good friends in this group ...  Some of us socialize outside of it too.

    On my initial dx, I tried a few groups, but none were a "good fit".  I also felt very fortunate all things considered ... so did not go back to looking for a support group until after my recurr & mets dx (1 yr after finishing rad'tn for my initial tumor).

    CalGal 

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