silver lining

Finding The Silver Lining 25 March 2014 Calgary Avansino

For today's Weekly Wellbeing piece, Calgary Avansino turns her attention to breast cancer, and what to do when you're diagnosed with it.
Every year, 55,000 women in the UK alone are diagnosed with some form of breast cancer, which means that one person every ten minutes will be affected. It's more important than ever to educate yourself, check yourself and protect yourself! Now an inspirational and, most importantly, informative book is available for every woman who is going through cancer herself or supporting someone they love. Hollye Jacobs, a healthcare professional and breast cancer survivor has written the book she wished she had been able to find herself while battling breast cancer: The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer.
"I was looking for a guide, companion and lifeline that was simultaneously honest and hopeful, realistic and supportive, clinically credible and visually beautiful," she said. "That book did not exist, which I why I created it with my dear friend and award-winning photographer, Elizabeth Messina. My goal is that this book will be a companion and guide that will support, inform and inspire everyone whose life is impacted by breast cancer."
For Weekly Wellbeing, Hollye has shared five suggestions of what to do at the time of a breast cancer diagnosis:
1. First, breathe. This sounds easy, I know, but after hearing the words: "You have cancer", breathing actually takes a whole lot of work!
2. Second, take the time to understand the meaning and process the emotions of your diagnosis. Though the diagnosis feels like an emergency, the majority of the time, it isn't.
3. Third, build your team of caregivers, both personal, in the form of family and friends, and professional, in the form of healthcare providers. It definitely takes a village to get through breast cancer.
4. Fourth, learn everything that you can about your diagnosis and then become actively involved in the development of your treatment. For example, prepare a list of questions to take to every doctor's appointment and take a calm and collected friend with you to document questions and answers. From the time of your first appointment, collect your own comprehensive medical records. At the time of every appointment and test, request a copy of the results and progress notes.
5. Fifth, determine the best way for you to communicate (or not communicate!) with friends, family, and colleagues about your diagnosis and upcoming treatment. Release all sense of obligation. Do what is best for you!
The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer, written by Hollye Jacobs with photography by Elizabeth Messina. Available at www.amazon.co.uk.