Breast Cancer Support Groups in Ankeny

One in 8 American women and 1 in 1,000 American men will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. It’s estimated that more than 2 million people are diagnosed with breast cancer and fight for their lives each year.

Breast cancer is difficult to face alone—for both patients and their loved ones. To help in the battle, there are a number of local resources and support groups in and around Ankeny.

AFTER BREAST CANCER (ABC) SUPPORT GROUP

John Stoddard Cancer Center, 1221 Pleasant Street, Des Moines

A group providing emotional, educational, and practical support to women confronting breast cancer. ABC meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:45 p.m. The location alternates between the John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist and Mercy West Health Center. For more information, call 515-241-4248.

KATZMANN BREAST CENTER

Katzmann Breast Center, 1601 N.W. 114th St. Ste. 151, Clive

The Katzmann Breast Center and Mercy Cancer Center offer a variety of education and support services, including breast cancer support groups. For more information, call 515-222-7830.

“Support groups are really beneficial,” says Debra Somerrs Copit, MD, Director of Breast Imaging at Albert Einstein Medical Center, and a member of the medical advisory board for Living Beyond Breast Cancer.

“When patients are told they’re sick, it can be an out of body experience and they aren’t taking in everything the doctor is saying. It can be helpful to have someone to turn to and learn from who has gone through the same thing,” says Copit, who is a breast cancer survivor herself.

Not only do groups offer emotional support, but being a part of a support group can actually help patients feel less depressed and can help to reduce physical pain, according to a 2001 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Patients who aren’t big fans of group settings but still want to reap the benefits can turn to technology. It’s hard to duplicate in-person support groups on the web, but the recently launched breast cancer specific social networking platform, MyBreastCancerTeam comes close.

The site and mobile app caters to breast cancer survivors, and women  who have been recently diagnosed. Users can find suggestions for doctors and find similar users based on location, diagnosis and age. Members also have access to peer-driven Q&A section where they can read and write posts.

While a web platform may be useful for some, Dr.Copit worries that online forums can sometimes trigger the spread of misinformation. She suggests that patients who can’t make it to an in-person support group try calling a phone line.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer has a confidential survivors’ helpline that connects patients with others of similar background, going through similar situation. Call (888) 753-LBBC (5222) for more information.

TELL US: Do you know of any breast cancer support groups in the community? How have they helped you?