Breast Cancer Support Groups in Mid-County

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 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 Richmond Heights, the Girl's Night Out Support Group offers education and support for breast cancer survivors, the SSM Cancer Care website states. The meeting happens from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at SSM St. Mary's Health Center, 6420 Clayton Rd. More information is available by calling Angee Brewer at 314-768-8045.

In Clayton, the group Breast Cancer Support for Young Women meets at the Washington University West Campus Conference Center, 7425 Forsyth Blvd. More information is available by calling Kim Selig at 314-747-7156 or by going to cancermatters.com.

In Creve Coeur, the Breast Cancer Networking Group meets at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month at Mercy Hospital's David C. Pratt Cancer Center, 607 S. New Ballas Rd., Ste. 1440, in Creve Coeur. A light dinner generally is served. Call 314-238-2000 to RSVP.

In St. Louis, the group Breast Cancer Support brings together women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. It meets at 4207 Lindell Blvd. More information is available by calling 314-286-8167 or by going to cancermatters.com.

Also in St. Louis, the Breast Cancer Support Group meets at the Barnard Health and Cancer Information Center, 224 S. Euclid Ave. in the Central West End. A discussion titled "Living with Breast Cancer" happens from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. More information is available by calling Anne Rihanek at 314-747-1236 or by going to cancermatters.com.

“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?