Breast Cancer Support Groups in Cumming

One in eight American women and one in 1,000 American men will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. It’s estimated that more than two 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.

Northside Hospital-Forsyth located at 1200 Northside Forsyth Drive in Cumming offers the following support groups and resources:

Cancer Support Community (Formerly The Wellness Community Atlanta) - This national organization provides psychosocial and educational support - free of charge - to cancer patients, survivors, their families and their friends. Classes are held on Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., building 1400, suite 180 in the Administration Conference Room. Call 404-843-1880 for more information.

Drop-in Breast Cancer Support Group - held on the third Sunday of the month from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., in building 1400 in the Volunteer Library located on the right as you enter the building.

Network of Hope – A cancer survivor’s network, led by volunteers who are also breast cancer survivors, supports newly diagnosed patients through sharing, strength and education. For more information, call 404-851-6161.

A Woman’s Place at Northside Hospital – A specialty boutique where women can find a wide variety of wigs, turbans, prosthetics and other products and advice they need to look and feel self-confident. Visit A Woman’s Place  the hospital website or call 404-845-5858 for more information.

Case Management – Helping individuals with aftercare and community referrals. For information, call 404-851-8829.

Pastoral Care – A dedicated team of chaplains available for your care and counseling needs. For information, call 404-851-8754.

Nutrition Services – The assistance you need to ensure your nutritional needs are met in order to support your recovery goals. For information, call 404-851-6050.

Pain Treatment Services – Traditional and contemporary services are available to ensure the effective assessment and management of pain. For information, call 404-459-1838.

“Support groups are really beneficial,” says Debra Somers 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 Cumming? How have they helped you?