First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines at tgam.ca/essayguide.
When I was going through my treatment at 54, I was offered support group meetings through the hospital. I almost didn’t go. But if ever there was a monumental moment in my life, attending my first support group meeting was it. It was an epiphany for me to learn that something I didn’t think I needed was exactly the thing that would help me get through the toughest year of my life. I thought my caring and loving husband, my supportive family and my amazing circle of friends would be enough.
I’ve met so many – too many – women on this path. Many work their way into my heart. One of those was a 28 year old facing a breast cancer diagnosis. The same age as my daughter. And that’s when it hit me. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate based on age. It’s one thing to be diagnosed in your mid-50s, when your children are grown, your career is winding down, your life is likely relatively stable and you can concentrate on you and on dealing with cancer.