#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s very much on my mind lately because a dear family member is battling this pernicious disease. Even though there are measures we can take to lessen our risk of breast cancer, sometimes it strikes anyway—even when there is no family history of any form of cancer, going back generations. There’s much we know about breast cancer but still so much we don’t.

Being physically “there” to support a friend or family member going through the rigors of treatment is not always an option. In my case, my relative is on the other side of the country. But there are many other ways to show support, depending on the person’s needs. In the case of my relative, I know that she has an incredible support group of friends who have taken over meal prep and transportation duties and started a GoFundMe page to raise money to cover medical expenses that insurance won’t cover.

My relative has decided she doesn’t want out-of-town visitors until she’s nearly finished with her chemotherapy. I understand this. No matter how much I want to be there to help her, I also know that having extra people around all day can be stressful. Even phone calls can be difficult because you never know if the patient really wants to talk or is merely being polite because that’s the kind of person she is.

So one of the things I’ve decided to do is send her a gift for each round of her chemo, just a little something to let her know she’s in my heart and my thoughts. Sometimes it’s the smallest gesture that can put a smile on your face and help you get through a rough day.

If you have a loved one battling breast cancer or any form of cancer, for that matter, let them know how much you care by doing something that will brighten their day.