Forum Discussion
What NOT to say to people affected with breast cancer
In 2013, a journalist called breast cancer the "sexy" cancer. What they meant is that breast cancer is a cause that people get behind in a big way compared to other cancers and diseases. Nevertheless,...
I do get tired of the "just be positive, that is the key to fighting cancer" and the "you will be fine" lines said brightly and dismissively.
Mostly it is from people who just want to say something helpful, so I try to be understanding about it.
My classic was from my very long term friend who I thought was being super supportive when I was diagnosed, when I told her that the pathology after surgery was not good and I now had to have chemo therapy and go back for a mastectomy, I told her what the chemo regime was (FEC X 3 and D X 3 ) and was told
" well, you are getting off easy with it then"
I was quite shocked.
This was from someone had had previously been telling me how supportive she had been to another friend going through chemo for Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Mostly it is from people who just want to say something helpful, so I try to be understanding about it.
My classic was from my very long term friend who I thought was being super supportive when I was diagnosed, when I told her that the pathology after surgery was not good and I now had to have chemo therapy and go back for a mastectomy, I told her what the chemo regime was (FEC X 3 and D X 3 ) and was told
" well, you are getting off easy with it then"
I was quite shocked.
This was from someone had had previously been telling me how supportive she had been to another friend going through chemo for Hodgkin's lymphoma.