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The Voice of People With Breast Cancer

Education

Our Voices Blog


Post-surgery tips from women who’ve been there

Simply put, surgery is awful. Your body is recovering from some major trauma. And if you were feeling rather healthy before surgery, afterwards can feel a bit like a train wreck. We asked women for their tips on making recovery a little more bearable.

Relieving the emotional and physical toll of breast cancer through mind-body practices

Breast cancer treatment affects more than just your body. It can take an incredible toll on your emotional well-being as well. You likely have a ton of anxiety about your treatments, and how it will affect your life moving forward. If you’re a mom, you’ve got to worry about how this will affect your kids and your family. A demanding job or the needed income is another added level of stress that can make a huge impact. Add all of this to the physical symptoms of treatment, like joint pain, it’s an understatement to say that it’s hard.

5 interesting breast cancer research highlights

We’re sharing some interesting research results that we seen in the news recently. 

What to do if you have textured implants and are worried about their links to lymphoma

We’ve been hearing a lot of discussion in the news lately about textured implants and their link to a rare form of lymphoma; a cancer now known as breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Recently, Health Canada moved to suspend these implants from being used in Canada.  

New clinical trials finder helps you find a trial

Are you looking for a clinical trial but not sure how to start or where to go? A new Clinical Trials Finder has been developed by Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO) to help you. You can search for a clinical trial in any province or territory in Canada, using only a few simple search terms.

The Importance of Vitamins in Our Daily Diets

Vitamins are tiny organic compounds with a massive impact on your general health and well-being. Vitamins can be obtained from your daily diet, or they can be sourced from the sun (only vitamin D). More so, they have a say in almost each and every aspect of the digestive system. The best part is that as essential as they are, your body only requires them in small amounts.

Caregiving while you’re a patient

Women living with breast cancer are not just cancer patients; they’re moms, spouses, sisters, friends, and daughters. The many roles and responsibilities a woman assumes to support those around her don’t disappear when she is diagnosed with cancer. One of these responsibilities may be caring for aging parents or family members. This burden may seem heavy at times but there are places you can turn to for support.  Check out the following resources.

Our new white paper: what are patients and physicians saying about biosimilars in breast cancer?

We talked a lot on this blog last year about biosimilars; what they are and why it’s important to know about them. With the entry of biosimilars in the breast cancer treatment landscape due later this year, there are still questions and discussions about how it will affect current and future breast cancer patients. To help understand these questions and perspectives, we decided it was important to bring together those people who are impacted the most: patients and physicians.

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Part 2: Early Signs, and Treatments

In Part 1 we discussed the risk factors of lymphedema and tips for reducing this risk. Today we’re helping you identify early signs and what treatments are available for lymphedema.

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Part 1: Risk Factors

Breast cancer-related lymphedema is abnormal swelling that can develop in the arm, hand, breast, or torso on the side treated for breast cancer where lymph nodes have been removed.  Lymphedema can develop suddenly or gradually. It can happen soon after surgery or can develop months or years later.

What is Canada’s new food guide all about?

Canada’s new food guide is, in one word, refreshing! First off, it makes us hungry just looking at it. And secondly, it does away with the confusing portion sizes and focuses more on practical tips for incorporating healthier foods into our diets. 

The importance of having access to financial resources

We asked Tricia, a member of our patient advisory committee, to share her thoughts on our newest digital tool, the FinancialNavigator, designed to help connect patients with financial resources in their community. Here’s what she had to say.

How can we ease the financial burden of breast cancer?

When you are first told you have breast cancer, your thoughts can immediately turn to your mortality and how to best save your life. You worry about how your diagnosis will affect your family, spouse or kids. More and more, the realities of the disease begin to set in and the impact it can have on your finances becomes more apparent. 

What’s pharmacare and why should it matter to breast cancer patients?

It’s just the start of 2019 but we’re already thinking about fall and the federal election it brings with it. Last year, there was a lot of talk about the establishment of a national pharmacare plan. The federal government assembled a working group to study the best way a system like this would work in Canada.

10 low-key ways to make Valentine’s Day better when you have breast cancer

February is here, which means Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Valentine’s is a day that you either love or hate. And throwing the C-word into the mix can make it hard even when it’s something you’re usually excited for.

I Am And I Will this World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day on February 4th gives us a chance to reflect on 2018, the work we’ve accomplished and the work that still needs to be done. This year, WCD has a brand-new message: I Am And I Will.

My beautiful baby saved my life

I remember sitting in the small room waiting for the doctor to come in.  I was nervous but didn’t think anything was wrong.  The doctor came in and asked how I was.  I gave my usual cheery response that everything was good but added that “it depended on what he was going to tell me…ha ha ha”.  I laughed but my jovial manner quickly subsided when my doctor sat down and the words “it’s not good” came out.  My heart dropped.  He then said, “It’s cancer”.  My heart dropped again.

Meet Cathy Hemeon, CBCN’s new board member

The Canadian Breast Cancer Network is pleased to welcome a new member to our board of directors.  Cathy Hemeon of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland brings many years of experience in the health care field to her new role.  She, like all CBCN board members, is also a breast cancer survivor.  She was diagnosed in February 2016 with Stage I triple positive breast cancer following a screening MRI.

7 interesting highlights from the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

Last month, we had the opportunity to attend the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). Here’s some of the key highlights to come out of the conference. 

Looking on the bright side

In June 2015, I moved to London, Ontario and was recovering from a rather emotional and difficult time, having divorced in June 2014.  I had moved from Sault Ste. Marie to be closer to my daughter with her husband and very young children.  I would be seeing the rest of my family less often now – my parents, my two sisters, my daughter and her husband, and another granddaughter. and two step grandchildren.