Brest Friends through thick and thin

A friend in need is a friend indeed, and breast cancer patients and survivors get that and more at Brest Friends, a Dubai-based social support group.

Brest Friends is the brainchild of Dr. Houriya Kazim, a breast surgeon with Emirates Hospital, who formed the social support group for breast cancer patients and survivors in May this year.

She told Gulf News the aim of Brest Friends was to create an environment where they were comfortable to share their experiences.

"New patients, who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer, can meet women who have survived the disease and learn from their experiences," she said.

Sufferers and survivors sit together and talk about problems, issues and concerns they have about breast cancer things they may not feel comfortable in sharing with people who are not afflicted with breast cancer.

Dr. Kazim said some of the issues they dealt with include breast cancer experiences, such as chemotherapy and how to deal with hair loss.

"People are more afraid of chemotherapy than mastectomy (surgical removal of the breasts) because of the hair loss. The hair is something women always take extra care of," she said.

Pairing up

She said Brest Friends has a system where they pair up a patient with a survivor, who would accompany the patient to treatment centres and "hold their hand" during treatment.

She said Brest Friends also has a Wig Bank to supply members undergoing chemotherapy.

Brest Friends is only for breast cancer sufferers and survivors, though family members and friends are occasionally invited to attend meetings. Currently, the group has more than 100 registered members.

Dr. Kazim said there was a shortage of support groups for breast cancer patients in the UAE.

There have been a few groups in the past, although most have disbanded.

Brest Friends meets every third Sunday of the month at a conference room in Emirates Towers.

Dr. Kazim said they could not meet more often due to scheduling conflict.

But when they do meet, they have a different activity to look forward to. The activities are geared to take care of all aspects of their health, including their physical and emotional well-being.

Zoe Kaviani, a breast cancer survivor agreed, saying it was "always interesting" to attend the meeting.

She wished that there was a support group like Brest Friends in Dubai when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. She was 35.

"I was desperate to meet people who have had breast cancer then. The first thing I wanted to ask was about chemotherapy and how it felt because doctors are so technical," she said.

Dr. Kazim said meeting survivors would increase awareness and encourage people to be more open about breast cancer.

She said once people knew survivors, it would remove the fear that breast cancer was a death sentence.

Shaysteh LaBelle, a 50-year-old breast cancer survivor, told Gulf News that she was still afraid of breast cancer despite being free of it for the past three years.

"I would cry for myself every now and then quietly. I don't want my children to know because they have been through a lot," she said.

"I cry because I have the fear that the cancer will come back. The fear never leaves once you get cancer, unfortunately," she added.

LaBelle said having Brest Friends as part of her support system has been a relief as it created a sense of community among the women. "It makes us feel that we're not the only one. I see lots of women like me," she said.

Stigma

However, Dr. Kazim said many women in the Middle East, especially UAE nationals, still feel ashamed that they developed breast cancer.

"There is still a stigma about breast cancer here," Dr. Kazim said. "Many locals are only willing to talk to friends but not publicly."