5 things you need to know about a breast cancer diagnosis

This article first appeared in Parys Gazette on 15 October 2020

October is breast cancer awareness month, and I am thankful to the Gazette for allowing me to use their platform to create awareness around the importance of early detection and getting the right treatment.

The previous two articles were factual and highlighted the importance of self-examination and routine mammograms. But what if you get the results and you have a suspicious mass? What are the next steps? What are your options? There are so many questions that go through one's mind, and it gets overwhelming. I still vividly remember the chaos following my breast cancer diagnosis in August 2019. Below are a few things you need to know about a breast cancer diagnosis.

Do not rush to conclusions.

Doctor Google is your worst enemy! The trick is to remain calm and let your general practitioner (house doctor) guide you through the initial phase of your treatment. Depending on the results of the diagnostics that confirmed that you have breast cancer, your house doctor may refer you to a surgeon first or directly to an oncologist.

Do not be afraid to ask questions. Trust me. You will have a myriad of them! Do not believe everything you read on Doctor Google. It is best to ask your doctor for trusted sources where you can do further reading.

Your body. Your choices.

The most important thing to remember is that it is your body and that you have the final say. It is a long journey, and if you feel uncomfortable with any member of your medical team, you will find it more difficult. Go for a second or third opinion if you must.

The paperwork is tedious.

If you have a hospital plan or full medical aid, you will have access to an oncology benefit. Once you have seen the oncologist, an oncology case manager will register you as a cancer patient with your specific provider. You will receive a treatment code against which doctors, hospitals, radiologists, pathologists, and pharmacists claim your treatments and medication.

I cannot stress enough how important it is that you make sure that everything gets pre-approved with your medical aid. When you get a prescription for medication, ask your case manager to send it to the medical aid for approval before you go to the pharmacy to collect.

It is also critical to know that the time between your mammogram and the actual diagnoses could be a couple of weeks. You must keep a record of all your medical expenses because, when your oncology benefit is registered, it is backdated to the date of your mammogram. You can then claim back all costs related to your cancer diagnoses from the medical aid.

What if you do not have a medical aid?

There are several walk-in breast clinics in the bigger cities throughout South Africa. One of the best public healthcare facilities for breast cancer is at the Helen Joseph hospital in Johannesburg, where breast cancer specialist Dr Carol Ann Benn is the clinical director.

Join a support group

One of the hardest things about a breast cancer diagnosis is that it feels as if you have no-one to talk to, even when your family and friends are supportive. I mean, you do not want cancer to dominate conversations with your loved ones, do you?

There are several support groups on the internet, but I can highly recommend a Facebook support group called "Thrivers Private Breast Cancer Support Group South Africa". It is run and moderated by Naadia, a single mother of four who has stage-4 metastatic breast cancer. You can also contact your nearest CANSA branch for other support groups in your area, or telephonic counselling.

Watch my interview with my oncologist, Dr Ronwyn Van Eeden, below.