By Anonymous
At her second appointment after her initial breast cancer diagnosis, a local woman was introduced to a nurse navigator who handed her a small care package from the oncology team. The package contained personal care comfort items for newly diagnosed patients, emergency guidelines, medical resource lists and frequently asked questions to help navigate the disease and upcoming treatment.
“You can likely imagine how devastating facing this type of news is and the contents of the package highlighted the sobering reality of the horror yet to come,” she wrote in an email to the editor.
Yet also tucked inside was a handwritten note by a mother who too had been diagnosed with breast cancer. On her note, with words of encouragement for strength, hope and peace, were also small colored drawings likely crafted by a child.
“I must share that I burst into tears as all of this was beyond overwhelming,” the woman recalled. “But as I slowly caught my breath, the words hit home and my appreciation for this small act of kindness was intense. Here was a woman, with so much to lose in life, taking precious time out to hand write a note of encouragement and ask her child to color pictures for a stranger, just to help ease the incredible burden of what a ‘newbie’ was now facing knowing the road ahead would be tremendously difficult at best.”
The experience introduced her to Girls Love Mail, an organization that connects women fighting cancer with handwritten letters of support from strangers around the world. The nonprofit facilitates these personal connections by providing guidelines for letter writing that ensure consistency and encouragement.
“Yes, kind words even from a stranger can be impactful during sad times in life,” she noted. She plans to write her own personal letters to be shared with newly diagnosed patients through the Girls Love Mail organization.
Anyone can participate in writing notes of support and encouragement regardless of their health status or personal connection to a breast cancer patient, simply to offer hope and strength for what lies ahead.
“Thank you for including a breast cancer segment for breast cancer awareness in October,” the woman wrote to the editor. “I know the topic has become commonplace and maybe tiresome for many people, but for the newly diagnosed, it is a whole other story and I appreciate the continued voice to keep awareness raised.”
For more information about Girls Love Mail and how to participate, visit their website at girlslovemail.com.
