Breast Cancer Case Study –

Tina is in her late 30's and has found she has breast cancer, following investigations for a breast lump.

RED ARC's Personal Nurse Adviser telephoned her at home to discuss how she was coping, and to get some background about her condition. She had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and was going to have a mastectomy the following day, with breast reconstruction.

The first telephone conversation was a long one, and Tina was able to disclose how she was feeling about many issues.

Tina felt that her biggest problem was her husband who does not like to talk about emotional subjects. She has two children: one a young teenager, the other 5 years old. She has told her older child but does not want to worry her younger one. She has been allocated a breast care nurse at the hospital and sees her when she attends appointments.

We sent out some really useful information: ‘Mummy's Lump - a book explaining things in simple terms for children’ and booklets that discussed talking with your children about breast cancer, and post-operative care after breast cancer surgery.

We telephoned again a week after the operation and Tina said she had been thinking about the RED ARC services and would like to speak to our Specialist Oncology Nurse, Jenny.

We arranged for Jenny to provide a series of Telephone Support Calls which have proved invaluable, providing advice, information and support at different stages of her journey. Jenny has also been able to explain the different treatments, discuss what she has been told by the consultant and offer reassurance.

Tina also has the support of her Personal Nurse Adviser for as long as she needs it. Both Tina and her husband have found the support from RED ARC so helpful.

Tina says: “Without Jenny’s phone calls and support, I may not have gone ahead with the radiotherapy - the prospect of it frightened me to death.”



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