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Cancer Buddies Network - where did it all start and why ?
Jan's Story:
When Jan Rutter was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, she
thought her world had crashed down all around her. "It was such a
shock, I just couldn't take it in," she says. "I was diagnosed with
Stage 2 breast cancer, one lump 4cm on the right breast and a second
1cm one under the arm in the lymph nodes. I was told to expect the big
4, chemotherapy, a mastectomy, radiotherapy and tamoxifen.
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So many things helped me through that year, it was as if the last six
months had been pointing precisely here, getting my body ready for what
was to come. When I was at the hospital receiving my
diagnosis, I noticed another lady obviously being told the same
thing. I made it a priority to find out who she was and got
in touch with her - and we became firm friends and held each other's
hand through the ups and downs of our treatments and how it affected us
both mentally and physically. I was very lucky
having the love and support of all my friends and family, but this was
something special, someone who knew exactly how it felt to be there and
experience it all.
I was also lucky because I had some good advice from my family, my two
sisters were both complementary health practitioners and my cousin, a
nurse. I changed my diet giving up dairy products and eating more fruit
and salads and took plenty of exercise and rest in equal portions,
particularly while having my chemotherapy for those first six months.
By the time I got to the point where I was due to have my mastectomy,
my lump had shrunk from 4cm to less than 1cm. My consultant was amazed
- and, of course, delighted. So I had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes
removed. Afterwards, I went on to have radiotherapy and took tamoxifen
as prescribed.
"I can honestly say I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It gave me a new strength that I didn't know I had, showed me that I
had more in reserve than I ever thought possible, and opened up a new
life for me. My motto is 'carpe diem' live for the day and
make the most of every minute !"
CANCER BUDDIES
Jan was so inspired by all the help and support she'd received when she
was going through her treatments, she decided she wanted to 'give
something back'.
"One of the things I found more helpful than anything else was being
able to talk to other people who were going through the same thing as
me," she says. "My family and friends were great and I couldn't have
done it without them, but there is nothing like having someone to talk
to who knows how you feel because they've been there."
Jan decided to start up a website to put people in touch with each
other on a one to one basis in the same way as Friends Reunited. So
Cancer Buddies Network was born. It's non-profit making and already has
the backing of the Macmillan Cancer Support and Millenium Grants
Unltd., Jan's Royal Marsden consultant, Professor Ian Smith
was also eager to lend his support.
He says: "As an oncologist I see patients and their families who are
frightened and worried about the impact that cancer will have on their
lives and how it will affect them. From my personal experience I have
learnt that patients cope better when they are able to talk about what
they are going through and share their experiences with someone who
understands. I wholeheartedly support CBN, an exciting new concept in
online Cancer Websites."
For more information, log on to www.cancerbuddiesnetwork.org
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