Finding Joy in the Journey

As my time with the North Florida Health Corps winds down, I have often found myself wondering if I’ve done enough for the women I serve through Bosom Buddies. For every woman I’ve been able to enroll in our program, there is another that I wasn’t able to help. Bosom Buddies offers advocacy and support for women affected by breast cancer, but can’t provide financial assistance, food, housing, or transportation. I can refer clients to these services – and I do – but I’m confronted with a sinking feeling every time I hang up the phone, wondering if they’ll get the aid they so desperately need.

Luckily, at a recent support group meeting, I was reminded of the value of this program in the lives of the women we serve.

Bosom Buddies holds “Caring and Sharing” support group meetings two to three times a month. Members are encouraged to share where they are in their cancer journeys, and the group welcomes newly diagnosed women into the sisterhood of survivors, sharing stories of hope and resiliency in the face of breast cancer.

Attendance was unusually high at this past week’s meeting, and there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air, as long-time members walked through the door of the Women’s Center of Jacksonville for the first time in months. I don’t quite know what brought such a large group of women to Bosom Buddies that night, but what followed during the meeting was one of the single most powerful experiences I have had this year. We went around the room, asked for updates, and a member raised her hand while simultaneously asking for a box of tissues. She hadn’t been able to attend support group meetings for months because she was told to take neutropenic precautions₁ to avoid infections. Now she was finally well enough to join and she was ready to share her news. After a pause to collect herself, she said, “As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer four years ago, with tumors in my breast, lung, and spine. A few months ago, I started a new medication for the cancer, and, after two new PET scans, the doctors say there is no evidence of cancer in either the lung or my spine, and the tumor in my breast is also smaller.” I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced such a collective explosion of joy as I did in the moments after she said those words. Members jumped out of their seats, cheering and wiping away tears of excitement.

Reflecting on this, I’ve realized that my role this year is best encompassed by the Steve Maraboli quote “Never decide to do nothing just because you can only do a little.” I can’t fix every problem I face, but I can provide support and sustain a program that will give a standing ovation to a woman successfully beating Stage 4 breast cancer. At the end of the day, and a year of service, that’s more than enough.

Reference:

1. Neutropenic Precautions

This blog post was written by NFHC member Sarah Larson.

Sarah serves at the Women's Center of Jacksonville as the Breat Cancer Care Coordinator.