Coping with a cancer diagnosis
Gretchen Minnaar, Cansa’s services manager: Psychosocial Support, explains: “Getting a cancer diagnosis is tough. It's not just about the body; it's about the mind too. It affects you and your family's mental health. Although breast cancer doesn't directly cause depression, it can affect your emotions as you deal with diagnosis and treatments. Some might experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with up to 32% of breast cancer patients showing signs of it.”
#BreastCancerAwareness #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth
“Chemotherapy may bring sudden personality changes, often called ‘chemo rage’, linked to steroids used in treatment or chemo brain resulting in diminished capacity to concentrate and remember things, making it hard to continue with work or everyday life. The loss of a breast or complications from surgery, for example lymphoedema, can be debilitating and affect your self-image. If your worry becomes too much or you are experiencing mood swings, it’s important to seek emotional support. We offer free psychosocial support,” she added.
Prioritising mental well-being can make the breast cancer journey more manageable. Cansa understands this and offers counselling services and support groups to support cancer survivors and caregivers emotionally. There are waiting periods to get appointments for a psychologist in the public system, so Cansa has qualified social workers that can assist with counselling through its Tele Counselling line. To date, 78% of women benefit from this free service to help them cope which is available in seven languages (English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana).
“We operate six online (WhatsApp) support groups nationally which also includes support for metastatic breast cancer patients. Patients may benefit from both individual and group therapy sessions. For group sessions to be effective, studies show that women should be with other women at a similar or same stage in treatment. This allows women the opportunity to receive and give support emotionally and learn from other experiences. Regardless of individual or group psychological interventions, all are aimed to help women adjust to their diagnosis, cope with their treatment, and come to terms with the impact cancer has had on their life,” shares Minnaar.
Cansa further suggests taking care of your mental health with simple steps: Connect with nature by spending time outdoors or listening to nature sounds online; write down feelings or journaling can ease stress and sadness; try different methods of meditation and discuss appropriate physical movement with your medical team to find what works and don't hesitate to ask the care team for referrals to mental health experts.
Navigating the healthcare system
Dealing with cancer means dealing with a lot of paperwork and processes, especially if a person is relying on public healthcare. But even if someone has health insurance or a medical aid, there are still important systems to understand. Patients should get to know and understand oncology benefits from a service provider (even if it’s a basic hospital plan) and your rights as a patient.
The power of screening
According to Minnaar: “Screening is essential, especially for women. It helps catch cancer early when it's easier to treat. We know that early detection is key to enabling effective treatment and a better chance of recovering from cancer. It’s also important to know what screening options are available to you, especially if you have a family history of cancer.”
