How to Care for Someone with Breast Cancer

When you think of breast cancer, the light pink ribbon may come to mind. You may think that it is a female-oriented disease, but truth be told, men can get breast cancer too.Unfortunately, it is a disease that does not discriminate, and it can happen to anyone. Olivia Munn, an American actress, recently shared a picture of herself hospitalised with breast cancer in a show of solidarity to those who are treading the same path as her.

Breast cancer is a disease characterised by abnormal breast cells growing uncontrollably and forming tumours. If left undiagnosed, the tumours can spread to other parts of the body and become lethal.

In Malaysia, more women are being diagnosed with breast cancer before they reach the age of 40. According to consultant breast & oncoplastic surgeon Dr Tan Gie Hooi in 2023, a 2020 UPM research reveals statistics that show 13.6% of women in Malaysia are diagnosed with breast cancer before they reach 40 years old. In comparison with the US, the figure is only 5%.

Breast cancer takes the patient on an arduous road, it takes a toll on both the patient’s physical and mental health. Family members or friends of the patient act as their caregivers and may wonder what they can do to help them during this period. Hence, it is hoped that this article can be helpful to you or anyone who needs to know what to do, and what not to do while caring for an individual with breast cancer.

How to care for someone with breast cancer?

The feelings of fear and worry may occupy you once you learn that someone you deeply care about has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Taking the right steps can ease the journey for you and your loved one. Here is some advice:

If your loved one or friend would like you to be present during an appointment, help them compile and remember questions to ask the doctor that would be helpful for their treatment. This would help alleviate the stress that occupies their mind. You should inform your loved one or friend about the questions that you think would be best to ask before the appointment.
Be prepared for behavioural and mood changes. Medication, side effects from chemotherapy, and stress may cause them to feel depressed, angry, or exhausted. It is important to understand that treating cancer can have a drastic emotional impact.
Encourage them to stay active and independent as much as possible, this may help them maintain a sense of control.
Remember to take good care of yourself, too. Make sure you get sufficient sleep, eat properly, and allocate some time to yourself. If you are physically and mentally well, helping your loved one or friend will be easier for you as well.
You can ask other family members and friends to help out with tasks, such as bringing meals, taking their pet for a walk if they have any, or offer transportation to doctor’s appointments. Most individuals will be happy to help and appreciate help given.

What should you avoid doing to someone with breast cancer?

Telling them you know how they feel. Feelings are subjective, it is simply impossible to fully understand what a person with cancer goes through.
Advising them to ‘be strong’, ‘be positive’ or show any form of toxic positivity as it pressures them to act a certain way.
Taking things to heart if they seem angry, upset or refuse to talk.
Giving them unsolicited advice.
Comparing their situation to somebody else’s experience. Every individual’s story is different.

Caring for individuals with breast cancer, or cancer in general, can be a difficult path. Hopefully, the advice above can serve as a form of guidance. There may be some days when you feel physically and mentally utterly exhausted. However, remember that the person you’re caring for, truly appreciates your help and effort during this tough period of their life. Thus, doing your best to maintain a positive attitude is crucial while caring for someone who has breast cancer. Please do not hesitate to seek professional help from your local helpline when you need it. Sometimes, slowly coming to terms that there are events beyond your control may help you see things differently as well.

Although you’ve done everything you could for your loved one or friend with breast cancer, it cannot be denied that treating breast cancer can be financially straining and financial contributions from friends and family are often not enough. In light of this, PruBSN provides a takaful protection plan that specifically covers female related diseases. PruBSN Anggun is one such protection plan that focuses on female specific diseases such as breast cancer. You may get a minimum coverage from RM25,000 and women between 19 to 60 years old on their next birthday are eligible to enroll for this plan.

What if we told you that we offer takaful provide takaful coverage for a type of cancer treatment with promising results? With genomic testing, cancer patients can now obtain a more accurate cancer diagnosis. Cancer patients can anticipate enhanced treatment outcomes and will financially find peace of mind through this collaboration.

Introducing Precision Medicine, which works by testing a cancer patient’s tumour to see its response to various treatments. Everyone’s bodies react differently, which leads to doctors choosing the most compatible treatment to target the genes that cause the growth and survival of cancer cells. Although Precision Treatment is new, it exhibits promising potential for enhanced outcomes, thanks to cancer Genomic Testing and targeted therapy.

Yes, Precision Medicine is currently available in our list of covered cancer treatments! Its benefits include offering a more accurate diagnosis for your cancer type, fewer side effects, and a higher chance of recovery. This option provides you with more control and confidence in your path to recovery.

For example, you may consider the AnugerahMax, where you can secure lifelong protection and top-notch medical treatment, with the flexibility to tailor your plan with different benefits according to your needs.

The plan includes both medical and critical illness coverage. For medical coverage, the Medic TotalCare rider is one of our most comprehensive medical plan that provides extensive cancer coverage as well as additional limit for advanced medical treatments.

As for critical illness coverage, the Crisis TotalCare provides total and comprehensive critical illness protection from early to late stage, with a lump sum payment benefit in the event you are diagnosed with a critical illness such as cancer.

Want to find out more about our takaful plans? Leave your details below for us to contact you for a quick consultation.

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