Thursday, October 3, 2013

Oct. 3 - Virtual Support Groups

I cannot say enough good about this organization - Living Beyond Breast Cancer. I first learned about them when searching for information about my type of breast cancer - Triple Negative. Not only did I find resources, I gained knowledge, and now, I blog for them, and I'm a volunteer for their Helpline, (888) 753-LBBC (5222).

This organization, staffed by women who have either had breast cancer or had a loved one with breast cancer, knows what women want/need to know. On their website you can find material regarding most types of breast cancer and treatments, webinars for a variety of topics, fund-raising (if you live near or buy from White House Black Market, they are great supporters of this organization), with only viable entities and always honest in their methods, conferences, and celebrations. You can read about some of the women who serve at LBBC here. I learned about LBBC from a WHBM window display last October.

Another organization, recently partnering with LBBC, is MyBCTeam. A conversation-based support group, this team was where I went when I had questions, needed to scream, or needed an applause from my peers. We give virtual hugs, thumbs up, and advice. No question is too far-fetched or simple.

I have attended a couple of support groups locally, live, and I have been most blessed, in my moving forward process with Lifting Hearts, a group of women who are friends and mentors - women who are still going through treatment and women who have 7+ years of "sobriety" under them. They meet monthly and have a speaker on breast-cancer-related topics. We are each others cheerleaders.

I need to assemble a list of blogs and organizations that support women with breast cancer, and their caregivers. I know something like this would have been so beneficial as I began my journey. 

With all the pink marketing going on, this seems to be about the most honest and approachable local event I'm aware of, and ya'll are invited (let me know if you are interested).


So, there you go. Women "tend and befriend," and these organizations have made that possible, even when we're too sick to get out of bed or too tired to put on a smiley face, these organizations have been "here" for me.




No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.