Where can I find support?

Support can come from many sources—your family, friends, colleagues—even strangers who eventually become friends as you join a community of people facing similar challenges. Support can also come from organizations that provide resources to help you better understand what to expect living with metastatic (meh-tuh-STA-tik) cancer. Knowing what to look for and where to turn are key to getting the support you need.

How can I get the support I need?

Family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and other people close to you are among your most important care partners. Your cancer diagnosis affects everyone who cares about you. Many of the people in your personal circle want to help but may not know how.

Here are some things you may want to ask your caregivers to help you with:

• Gather information, and help you make decisions
• Go with you to doctor visits and checkups
• Make a list of your medical and emergency contacts
• Help with financial, legal, or health insurance matters
• Organize volunteers to bring you meals, take you to treatments, or run errands for you
• Help keep up your appetite, weight, and strength by cooking tempting foods and creating pleasant settings for meals
• Listen when you need to vent your feelings or frustrations
• Entertain you or keep you company when you want to relax or have fun
• Help with household chores like laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, or dog walking
• Go for walks with you to help you stay active

How can I talk to my loved ones about my cancer?

Letting your family and friends know about what you are going through can bring you comfort. But it can also be stressful. People do not always react the way you hope they will. These tips may help make it easier to talk with others about your cancer.

• Give some thought to what you might say. Think about what you want other people to know and write it down
• Decide who to tell and when. You may want to start with a close friend who has “been there for you” in the past. Choose a time to talk that feels right to you
• Find the best way to share the information. You may want to tell some people face to face, some on the phone, and others by sending a letter or e-mail
• Seek expert advice. If you are unsure of what to say, it might help to talk with an oncology social worker or other people who are living with advanced cancer
• Keep talking. If friends or loved ones react poorly or cannot handle your news, let them know how that makes you feel. Give them a little time to face their own fears about your cancer

Patient Resources

The downloadable resources available on this website have been developed to help you

• Be prepared for treatment
• Work closely and effectively with your healthcare team
• Receive and remember important information during treatment

Preparing for My Treatment

Offers a checklist of steps to take to help prepare yourself for treatment. Also includes information you should share with your doctor and questions to ask your doctor or nurse before treatment begins.

Your need for services, support, and information about metastatic breast cancer (MBC) may change over time. Knowing where to find the resources you need to help manage these challenges can help you feel more in control. Use the resources listed below to get answers, advice, and help from advocacy groups and peers who understand the needs and concerns of people with MBC.

These organizations do not replace talking with your doctor. Ask your healthcare team about other resources they can recommend.

The independent organizations listed are provided as an additional resource for obtaining information related to cancer and advanced breast cancer. Inclusion on this list does not indicate endorsement by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company of an organization or its communications.

Cancer is individual and very personal. One person’s experience may be very different from another’s experience. There are many things that make living with any illness personal, including a person’s culture or ethnicity. The organizations listed below offer information and resources specific to certain ethnic groups and cultures.

African Americans

Blackdoctor.org

blackdoctor.org

312-222-1205

Health news and features specifically targeted to African Americans. Includes information written in everyday language, a searchable directory of qualified African American doctors, and community blogs on thought-provoking information from health writers and doctors.

Hispanic Americans

Latinas Contra Cancer

latinascontracancer.org

1-888-522-8110

Education, navigation, and support for the underserved Latino population affected by cancer. Bilingual services include educational workshops, support groups, case management, and patient navigation.

National Alliance for Hispanic Health

healthyamericas.org/more-resources

202-387-5000

Programs that focus on improving the health and well-being of Hispanics and securing health for all. Available resources include the Let’s Talk About Living With Cancer (Hablemos sobre la vida con cancer) bilingual booklet that provides those living with cancer as well as their friends and family with general information and resources on cancer.

Asian Americans

Asian American Health Initiative

aahiinfo.org

240-777-4517

Programs and activities that help narrow the communication gap created by language and cultural barriers, and navigation of an unfamiliar healthcare system for Asian Americans. Resources include a library of downloadable brochures, videos, blogs, and a calendar of events.

Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum

apiahf.org

415-954-9988

Educational tools and materials to help people understand healthcare reform and its impact on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Various Ethnic Groups

US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health

minorityhealth.hhs.gov

240-453-2882

A one-stop source for minority health literature, research, and referrals for consumers, community organizations, and health professionals. Information on health issues specific to African Americans, Native Americans and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders is available through the Resource Center, from access to online documents to database searches to customized responses to requests for information and assistance.