Breast Cancer Support Group

North Mecklenburg Plastic Surgery announced its’ first Breast Cancer Support Group Meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. The development of the group was a direct result of the tremendous response to our survivor survey.  We truly appreciate the candid feedback from everyone that responded!

Our goal in establishing this group was to facilitate a comfortable and non-biased venue for our patients and any other person dealing with breast cancer.  All women experiencing any stage of breast cancer, regardless of choices for reconstruction, are encouraged to come and share their experiences.  We will post notes from each meeting and encourage you to join us for a future meeting.  If you are unable to join us, we hope that you will follow the website to see what wonderful things are going on with our support group.

If you have questions about the group or would like to be involved in any way, please contact Jean at 704-947-3331.

May 19, 2009  Meeting Notes:

I wanted to thank all of you for attending the first support group meeting.  I truly enjoyed spending time with each of you, and for those of you that expressed an interest but were unable to attend, we look forward to seeing you next month.  I am so excited about this group!  I just know that we will continue to grow and be encouraging to each other each other as well as all of the new people we will meet.  Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 from 6:00 pm until 7:45 pm.  I challenge each of you to invite someone new to come with you.  Each person that brings someone new will receive a Special Gift!!  The only requirement is that she be a breast cancer survivor.  We will have open meetings from time to time where we can invite friends and family.  Also, at some point, we are thinking about having an evening for the significant other in your life.  We will arrange to have a speaker that can help them with issues and concerns that they may have as they support you through your treatment and surgery.  I am open to your thoughts on this matter.  Feel free to email me or call with your feedback.

I have looked over the forms that each of you completed at the meeting.  You have given me great ideas for topics.  Thank you!  I am also researching books, so if you know of a great book that will be encouraging to women, let me know.  It does not have to focus on breast cancer, just on women.  Over the next few weeks, please be thinking of which breast cancer walk that you would like to participate in.  At the next meeting, we will form a committee and move ahead with getting OUR group ready to walk.  VERY EXCITING!

I will send a reminder on the Thursday prior to the upcoming meeting.  Please RSVP and let me know if you will be bringing someone with you.

I will leave you with this little quote that I came across recently……”Taking charge of your life takes time…and a bit of faith and courage.”  As I see it, each of you ladies are quite courageous!!

Warmly,

Jean

June 16, 2009 Meeting Notes:

It was a great meeting last night!  I enjoyed seeing all of you and having new ladies join us.  I just wanted to recap what we talked about last night for those who missed the meeting but plan to join us next month.  You chose the book, Uplift, by Barbara Delinsky.  We agreed to read the first three chapters by our next meeting.  Feel free to take some notes for discussion.

Thank you Marilyn and Rose for volunteering to organize our team for the 2009 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 3, 2009.  We are very excited about doing this together.  As we discussed, be thinking of a t-shirt design.  We will look at them during our next meeting.

We discussed making a list of helpful hints for patients that will be undergoing surgery and treatment.  Make your list and bring it with you and I will put it together for our Breast Cancer Packet for new patients.  This was such a great idea!!

I will also be getting in touch with Nordstroms to see what we can work out with them for bra fittings.  I will let you know what happens with this.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 6:00 pm.  Please put this date on your calendars.  I will send out a reminder the week before the meeting.

As always, each one of you inspires me daily and I look forward to spending time with you next month!

Warmly,

Jean

Call our Huntersville plastic surgery office at 704-947-3331 or contact us online to schedule your consultation today.