Plea over support for breast cancer patients

More support structures must be developed to aid the growing numbers of young women battling breast cancer each year, it was said today.

The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) said the majority of supports and educational back-ups were mainly designed for women over the age of 50.

However, the National Cancer Registry warned there were on average 243 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women under 45 years of age in Ireland every year.

Abby Langtry of Action Breast Cancer said: “When a woman hears she has breast cancer, the words can be life-altering but especially so in the case of a younger woman because the issues that she faces are fundamentally different to those of her older post-menopausal counterparts.”

Younger women often face a complex mix of problems after being diagnosed with breast cancer, including fertility worries, treatment-induced early menopause and often dependent small children.

Action Breast Cancer, a project of the ICS, and its peer-support network, Reach to Recovery, are to host a conference to work-out a programme to address the unique needs of those affected.

The ICS said the conference will be an opportunity for women under-45 with breast cancer to hear details of current treatments and the psychological impact.

It will allow women to explore issues with others who are also affected, form a stronger understanding on the effects of different treatments on fertility and the options to helpensure potential for future childbearing.

Ms Langtry said: “One of our key objectives with the hosting of this conference and the establishment of this programme is to highlight to these women that they are not alone.”

There will also be extracts from ‘Breaststrokes’, a one woman show by Stella Duffy, an author who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000.

The conference participants will get tips on managing treatment side effects, including conventional and complementary interventions.

The effects of treatments on women’s sexual desire and how this can be discussed with a partner will be explored.

There will also be workshops on fertility, sexuality, communication, stress, fatigue and menopause on Saturday January 15 next in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel.

:: The Action Breast Cancer freephone helpline to register for the conference or seek information is 1800 30 90 40.