As Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends and the pink ribbons come down, we want to ask our breast cancer community: How are you really doing?
October can bring support and connection, but it can also feel overwhelming. Whether you are navigating chemotherapy, recovering from a mastectomy, adjusting to life after treatment, or living with metastatic breast cancer, your experience continues beyond awareness month.
You do not have to stay positive all the time. You can be grateful and exhausted. Hopeful and scared. You deserve support through all of it.
Take a Moment to Check In
Ask yourself:
What feels heavy right now?
Do I need rest, connection, space, or practical help?
Is there someone I can be honest with today?
Scanxiety, treatment fatigue, body changes, and the emotional weight of breast cancer deserve attention, too. If you are struggling, consider asking your oncology team about counseling, a social worker, or breast cancer support groups. You do not have to carry everything alone.
Keep Showing Up After October
For friends and family, please keep checking in. Offer a meal, a ride, or time together without the pressure to be cheerful. Sometimes “I’m here to listen” means more than “Stay positive.”
As someone living with metastatic breast cancer, I know how much it matters to feel seen as a whole person.
That is why I created Breasts Are Overrated (BAO). Our chemotherapy-accessible tops offer comfort and easier port access, while our mission centers on dignity, mental wellness, and community.
October ends. Our care for this community does not.
