When Mom Has Cancer

October is Month

By Jessica Rush

As mothers, it is in our nature to be protectors – to strive to keep our children safe and to protect them from the harsh realities of the world. But what happens when one of the harshest of realities strikes within our own family? How does a woman tell her children that she has cancer? And once families know, how do they successfully cope?

Diane* is a wife, career woman and mother of two young children who hoped never to have to tackle these difficult questions. But a few months ago, after having her annual mammogram, the 45-year-old received news that, in an instant, changed her life and that of her family’s. She became one of the nearly 217,000 women that the American Cancer Society estimates will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

Invasive breast cancer is categorized in stages I through IV. Stages I and II are considered “early stages” and generally refer to smaller tumors that have not yet spread to other parts of the body. Diane is fortunate that her malignancy was detected extremely early, at what is called Stage 0. Hers is a non-invasive malignant breast tumor, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that is made up of abnormal cells in the lining of a duct. The abnormal cells have not spread beyond the duct and have not invaded the surrounding breast tissue.

This is the best possible scenario for Diane, according to the American Cancer Society, whose research indicates that when breast cancer is confined to the breast, the female survival rate is close to 100 percent. Still, the past few months have been extremely challenging for Diane and those who love her.

Preparing the Family

At first, Diane shared the news with only her husband and a few close family members and friends, and she admits to “downplaying” the situation when telling others. But she knew that to win her battle, she must be as informed as possible. Diane set out to learn all she could about her condition, her options, and the medical, physical, emotional and social implications that breast cancer would have on her and her family.

That kind of research helped her make important decisions regarding her condition and treatment, she says. And some creative thinking helped her prepare her pre-school age children for the surgery, brief hospitalization and six weeks of radiation therapy that would ensue.