What Happens After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis? A Guide to Finding Your Next Steps

Article by: Mary Lou Miller

 

You heard the words.

“You have breast cancer.”

And suddenly, everything may feel different.

You may have questions you don’t know how to ask. You may be waiting for more test results. You may already have appointments filling your calendar. You may be trying to understand unfamiliar medical terms while also figuring out how to tell your family, what to tell your employer and how you’re supposed to carry on with everyday life.

You may feel frightened.

Overwhelmed.

Angry.

Numb.

Or you may simply be thinking:

“What happens now?”

If that’s where you are, take a breath.

You don’t need to have everything figured out today.

A breast cancer diagnosis is the beginning of a journey, and there will be time to learn, ask questions, make decisions and find the support that is right for you.

And while your healthcare team will guide your medical care, there are other kinds of support that can help you navigate everything happening around your diagnosis.

You don’t have to figure it all out alone.

 

First, give yourself time to process

One of the hardest things about a cancer diagnosis can be the feeling that you have to immediately become an expert in your own cancer.

There can be tests.

Appointments.

Treatment options.

New healthcare professionals.

Forms.

Information.

Decisions.

And waiting.

The Canadian Cancer Society notes that after a diagnosis, doctors may need additional tests and information before developing a treatment plan. That waiting period can feel difficult, but it is part of understanding the cancer and determining the appropriate treatment. (Canadian Cancer Society)

Try not to put pressure on yourself to understand everything at once.

It’s okay to say:

“I don’t understand that. Can you explain it again?”

It’s okay to write questions down.

It’s okay to bring someone with you.

It’s okay to ask for more information or to tell people when you need a break from information.

Most importantly, it’s okay to have feelings about what is happening.

 

Start with your healthcare team

Your medical team will be your primary source of information about your diagnosis and treatment.

Depending on your circumstances, you may work with several different healthcare professionals, including your family doctor, surgeon, oncologist, nurses and other specialists. (Canadian Cancer Society)

It can be helpful to keep your questions and information in one place.

Consider keeping a notebook, folder or digital document where you can record:

• Appointment dates
• Names and contact information for members of your healthcare team
• Questions you want to ask
• Test results and medical information
• Treatment dates
• Medications
• Symptoms or side effects
• Things you want to discuss at your next appointment

You don’t have to remember everything.

Write it down.

And if possible, consider asking someone you trust to come with you to important appointments. Another person may hear something you miss, take notes while you listen, or simply provide reassurance.

 

Learn-but don’t overwhelm yourself

Once you’ve been diagnosed, it’s natural to start searching.

You may find yourself typing questions into Google late at night:

What type of breast cancer do I have?

What happens next?

Will I need surgery?

Will I need chemotherapy?

What are my treatment options?

What does this medical term mean?

Information can help you feel more prepared and involved in your care. But there is also such a thing as too much information at once.

Not every story you read online will apply to you.

Not every experience you hear from another person will be your experience.

And not every frightening possibility you discover online is something you will face.

Try to use trustworthy sources and bring questions to your healthcare team rather than trying to interpret medical information on your own.

You can also decide how much information you want to receive at any given moment. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends recognizing that people differ in how much information helps them feel in control and how much may increase their anxiety. (Canadian Cancer Society)

There is no prize for knowing everything.

Take it one step at a time.

 

Think about the support you need beyond medical treatment

Your healthcare team is there to treat your cancer.

But what about everything else?

Who helps you process the diagnosis?

Who do you talk to when you’re scared?

What happens if treatment changes your appearance?

What if you’re worried about your relationship, your children or your job?

What if you’re a caregiver trying to support someone you love while managing your own emotions?

These questions matter, too.

Supportive cancer care can address physical, practical, emotional and other challenges associated with cancer and it can remain important after treatment ends. (Canadian Cancer Society)

This is where organizations like HopeSpring can become part of your support network.

 

Take care of the person behind the diagnosis

A cancer diagnosis can quickly make medical appointments the centre of your world.

But you are still a whole person.

You still have relationships.

Responsibilities.

Interests.

Worries.

Dreams.

And a life outside of cancer.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. It means recognizing that your emotional and mental well-being deserve attention, too.

For some people, that may mean talking with a counsellor.

For others, it may mean finding a supportive community, participating in gentle movement, spending time being creative, practicing meditation or simply having a place where they don’t have to explain what they’re going through.

At HopeSpring, our programs are designed to support people affected by cancer in ways that complement their medical care.

 

If your treatment changes your body, support is available

Breast cancer treatment can bring physical changes that may affect how you feel about yourself.

Surgery may change your body.

Chemotherapy can result in hair loss.

Treatment can affect your energy, mobility and comfort.

These changes can be difficult to navigate, and there is no requirement to “just get used to it.”

At HopeSpring, our Wig Boutique and head-covering support can help members explore options when treatment-related hair loss affects their appearance or confidence.

Our Post-Mastectomy Camisole Program also provides free camisoles to eligible HopeSpring members recovering from breast cancer surgery.

These are practical supports, but practical support can make a very real difference when you’re already carrying so much.

Sometimes having something that makes getting dressed easier is one small way to make a difficult day feel a little more manageable.

 

Don’t overlook your emotional health

You don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to ask for emotional support.

Fear and anxiety can begin with diagnosis and continue throughout treatment and recovery. There may be difficult days, difficult decisions and difficult conversations.

And sometimes the people who love you most may not know how to help.

HopeSpring offers free cancer care counselling through our partnership with Interfaith Counselling Centre. Eligible members can access professional counselling support for themselves and, where appropriate, their families.

Counselling can provide a confidential space to talk about what you’re experiencing without needing to protect anyone else’s feelings.

You don’t have to be “doing badly enough” to deserve support.

If something is weighing on you, that’s enough reason to reach out.

Looking for breast cancer support?

HopeSpring provides free programs and services for people affected by cancer. From cancer care counselling and post-mastectomy camisoles to wigs, head coverings, wellness programs and opportunities for connection, we’re here to support you through every stage of your journey.

 

Let people help you

This can be one of the hardest parts.

You may be accustomed to being the person who helps everyone else.

Now you’re the one being offered help.

Letting someone bring dinner, drive you to an appointment, pick up groceries, look after the kids or simply sit beside you doesn’t make you weak.

It makes you human.

Think about the things that would genuinely make your life easier, and be specific when someone asks what they can do.

Instead of:

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

you might say:

“Could you come with me to my appointment?”

or:

“Would you mind picking up a few things from the grocery store?”

or simply:

“I don’t need advice right now. I just need someone to listen.”

Your support network doesn’t have to know exactly what to say.

Sometimes showing up is enough.

 

Remember the people supporting you need support, too

Breast cancer doesn’t affect only the person who receives the diagnosis.

Partners, children, parents, siblings, friends and other caregivers may all experience fear, uncertainty and exhaustion.

Sometimes the person providing care becomes so focused on the person with cancer that they forget to look after themselves.

If you’re supporting someone with breast cancer, remember:

You matter, too.

HopeSpring offers support to caregivers, family members and others impacted by cancer. That may include programs, connection, wellness activities and opportunities to talk with others who understand some of what you’re experiencing.

You don’t have to wait until you’re completely overwhelmed before asking for help.

 

Take your journey one step at a time

You may have heard someone say:

“Take it one day at a time.”

When you’re newly diagnosed, even that can feel like too much.

So perhaps start smaller.

One appointment.

One question.

One conversation.

One decision.

One day.

You don’t need to know what the next six months will look like.

Right now, you just need to know what your next step is.

And sometimes your next step isn’t medical.

It might be calling a friend.

Finding a counsellor.

Joining a program.

Asking for help.

Taking a walk.

Resting.

Or simply giving yourself permission to feel whatever you’re feeling.

 

Hope is not about pretending cancer is easy

At HopeSpring, we don’t believe that being hopeful means ignoring the difficult parts of cancer.

Hope can look different for everyone.

Sometimes hope is believing treatment will work.

Sometimes it’s getting through today’s appointment.

Sometimes it’s laughing with a friend.

Sometimes it’s finding a community that understands.

Sometimes it’s discovering that you can ask for help and still remain strong.

And sometimes hope is simply knowing:

I don’t have to do this alone.

 

HopeSpring is here for your next step

If you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, you don’t need to know exactly which HopeSpring program you need before reaching out.

That’s what we’re here for.

HopeSpring provides free support for people affected by cancer, including cancer care counselling, wellness and supportive programs, wigs and head coverings, post-mastectomy camisoles, caregiver support and opportunities for connection and community.

Our team can help you explore what’s available and find support that fits where you are right now.

Because your cancer journey is personal.

Your needs are personal.

And your next step doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

You don’t have to have all the answers today.

You just need to know that support is here when you’re ready for it.

Just diagnosed with breast cancer?

You don’t have to navigate the next steps alone. HopeSpring provides free programs and services for people affected by cancer and their loved ones.

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