Beyond Treatment: Helping Breast Cancer Survivors Heal

Though it may not seem obvious at first glance, Bosom Buddies works every day to improve the health of the Jacksonville community. The Bosom Buddies program helps women realize that they are not alone on their journey and recovery from breast cancer. The program does not provide mammograms or radiation treatments. It does not have doctors on staff to perform biopsies or reconstruct breasts; and it does not employ nurses to give chemotherapy treatments or hand out medications. Nevertheless, the Bosom Buddies program works to do what it can to help women through their cancer treatment. Sometimes that means providing women with free wigs to relieve them of the financial burden associated with regaining their confidence and sense of beauty (wigs can cost from $100 to $400, or more). At other times, it means getting a patient connected with services that they did not know about before. Often times, the best way Bosom Buddies helps newly diagnosed women is by getting them connected to other patient survivors. 

When one walks into a Bosom Buddies support group meeting, they can feel the love in the room. The women greet each other with hugs. They share pictures of grandkids and flowers blooming in their gardens. They ask about members who have not been doing well. Members quickly volunteer to call and visit their missing comrades. Others proudly share their cancer stories with new members, and commiserate about drug side effects. They are quick to offer a hug and words of encouragement to those who are struggling. By helping each other, Bosom Buddies members help themselves. These amazing women have created a community that has healing powers of its own.  It helps heal worries, fears, and feelings of isolation.

Though I have only served with Bosom Buddies for a short amount of time, the women I have worked served with have already made me feel like one of the pack. They have welcomed me with open arms just like they welcome all of the new members. The women of Bosom Buddies are a passionate bunch. They stand right beside other organizations, health educators, and community health care workers in educating their community about breast cancer.  I am thrilled to continue getting to know each of them as we work together to make Jacksonville healthier. 

This blog post was written by NHC Florida member Lee Ann Adelsheim.

Lee Ann serves at the Women's Center of Jacksonville as a Care Coordinator.