MINNEAPOLIS — Living with breast cancer can be hard. When you add holiday expectations to the mix, it can be downright overwhelming for both the patient and their families.
If you are in this situation, take 15 minutes to watch this video from Yerbba.com --- a health tech company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It provides great perspective and useful tips for navigating the holidays while confronting breast cancer.
Here are just a few of the tips:
- Write down your concerns and fears about the upcoming season. Doing so will help you focus on your needs.
- Start with the 'end' in mind. When the holidays are over, how do you want to feel? Now, create a plan to reach that end.
- Establish boundaries about what you can and can't handle physically. Let your loved one know about those boundaries.
- Give yourself some grace. It's OK to say 'no' to yourself and others.
Buddy Check 11 Day reminder
Set aside another ten minutes this week to check yourself for signs of breast cancer. On the 11th of every month, Buddy Check 11 Day, Health Fair 11 reminds you to do a breast self-exam (BSE). The National Breast Cancer Foundation has instructions on how to properly check yourself. Be on the lookout for any lumps, bumps, rashes, or puckering. Does your skin feel unusually warm? That is also a sign of possible breast cancer. If you notice anything that’s out of the ordinary, contact a medical professional for a clinical exam.
Who’s your Buddy?
Once you’ve checked yourself, call/email/text a ‘Buddy’ and remind them to also do a self-exam. Your Buddy can be a great sounding board to discuss what you find and vice versa. When you both do regular self-exams and receive annual mammograms, you hold each other accountable.
Buddy Check 11 is a project of Health Fair 11, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide health education and free or low-cost health checks. Health Fair 11's vision is to create healthier communities through collaborative outreach. Health Fair 11 is looking for new sponsorships to sustain its work. Learn more at www.healthfair11.org.
