Getting the Diagnosis

A diagnosis of breast cancer is a life-changing event.  Regardless of your age, your situation in life, or the stage of your disease, being told you have cancer means entering a new world in which you become a patient – and a survivor.  You will learn a new language and adjust to changes both in the way you live your life, and in the way you think about it.

What do you need to know, and what do you have to do?  People differ in how much information they want and how they seek that information, not just about their breast cancer but about life in general.  Some of us research everything we do, and have to go to every single store to look at every pair of shoes before we decide which ones to buy to go with that special outfit, then shop around to get the best price.  Others see a pair they like on the internet, buy them without even trying them on and don't go shopping at all.  As patients, some of us want to learn as much information as we can about our diagnosis from as many sources as possible: the internet, library, second and third opinions and talking to friends and family members.  Others depend on their doctors and nurses to give them information and to tell them what to do.  Some people seek support from a wide network of friends and family, while others choose to remain private and discuss their situation with only a few close contacts.  

Breast cancer is scary; the words describing it are scary.  People are telling you that you need to make your own treatment decisions, which is a really scary situation when you are facing something like cancer and a new vocabulary that you find hard to understand.  Talk about pressure!  Those of us who have been through a cancer diagnosis will tell you that becoming an active participant – an informed partner in your treatment – will help you make better decisions and will also help you feel better about the decisions you make.  We are not all alike as people, and not all breast cancer diagnoses are alike, so it's important that you feel like you are making good decisions for YOU and for your breast cancer.  Cancer IS personal and we can help you personalize the therapy that's right for you. 

Breast cancer is not a single disease.  It is a complex group of diseases.  Breast cancer treatment and life after treatment are influenced by a lot of factors that can vary significantly among different patients.  This section and the Treatment section of this website are here to give you as much information as you want on the many factors that are part of a breast cancer diagnosis and the treatment options that are available today.  There are many excellent resources out there with a variety of detail about breast cancer.  Y-ME's goal is to help you make your way through all of the information in a way that makes sense to you.  We are here to refer you to places to get more information and to answer any of your questions or just to listen to your concerns, 24/7/365.  As an organization comprised of breast cancer survivors who have been through what you and your family are going through, we are here to help; whether you want access to the latest clinical trial information or just want to know what it feels like to lose your hair. 

You can read further, or you can just call to talk to one of us – Y-ME's Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  A trained peer counselor, who is also a breast cancer survivor, will answer the phone, talk to you, support you, and help guide you through the treatment process.