We Are Here to Support You
Breast cancer care involves more than treating the cancer itself. Diagnosis, surgery, radiation therapy, medical treatment and recovery can affect physical strength, nutrition, sleep, emotional well-being, relationships, concentration and everyday life. Supportive care can help patients manage these changes throughout treatment and beyond.
At the Margie Petersen Breast Center, wellness and supportive services are integrated with medical care so patients and families can receive help with the physical, emotional and practical effects of breast cancer when those needs arise.
Supportive Care Throughout Breast Cancer Treatment
Supportive care may begin at diagnosis and continue through active treatment, recovery and survivorship. The services that are most helpful can change over time depending on treatment, symptoms, personal circumstances and individual goals.
Patients may benefit from nutrition counseling, rehabilitation, emotional support, stress-management programs, social work, spiritual care, symptom management and other services that support quality of life.
Nutrition Support
Nutrition needs can change during breast cancer treatment. Surgery, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and other treatments may affect appetite, weight, digestion, energy or food preferences, while some patients simply want reliable guidance about eating well during recovery and survivorship.
Individualized Nutrition Guidance
Registered dietitians can help patients develop nutrition goals based on their treatment, health needs, symptoms and personal preferences. Counseling may address maintaining adequate nutrition during treatment, managing treatment-related symptoms and developing sustainable eating habits that support long-term health.
Physical Rehabilitation & Exercise
Breast surgery, reconstruction, radiation therapy and systemic treatments can temporarily affect strength, endurance, shoulder mobility and physical function. Fatigue, tightness, discomfort or changes in range of motion can also occur during recovery.
Exercise guidance, rehabilitation and physical therapy may help patients restore mobility and strength, safely return to daily activities and address treatment-related limitations. Recommendations are individualized according to the type of treatment and stage of recovery.
Mindfulness, Stress Reduction & Willow Sage Sanctuary
Stress, uncertainty and emotional fatigue are common during cancer care. Mindfulness, guided relaxation, breathing exercises and other stress-reduction approaches can provide practical ways to manage anxiety and create moments of calm during treatment and recovery.
Willow Sage Sanctuary
Willow Sage Sanctuary provides a dedicated space within the Breast Center for respite, reflection and wellness activities. Programs may include mindfulness, meditation, stress reduction, nutrition education and other supportive approaches designed to complement medical care.
The Breast Wellness Program and Willow Sage Sanctuary were developed with philanthropic support from Alecia Moore, known professionally as P!NK, whose support of the Breast Center began in 2012. Willow Sage Sanctuary was named in honor of her daughter.
HeartMath® and Other Stress-Management Tools
HeartMath is one of several tools that may be used to help patients recognize and manage physiologic responses to stress. Depending on availability and individual needs, patients may also be introduced to guided imagery, structured breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and other techniques that can be practiced outside the clinical setting.
Counseling & Psycho-Oncology
A breast cancer diagnosis, treatment or increased cancer risk can affect emotional health, relationships, body image, work and family life. Counseling and psycho-oncology services can help patients and families address these changes while they are occurring.
Emotional and Psychological Support
Support may address concerns such as:
- Coping with diagnosis and treatment
- Anxiety, depression or persistent worry
- Changes in body image and self-confidence
- Relationship and family concerns
- Loss, grief and adjustment
- Stress related to recurrence or survivorship
Depending on individual needs, care may include counseling, psychiatric consultation, cognitive behavioral strategies, problem-solving approaches and stress-management techniques.
Support for Families
Cancer affects families as well as patients. Counseling can help partners, children and other family members communicate more openly, understand changes within the family and develop healthy coping strategies.
Memory, Attention & Cognitive Changes After Treatment
Some patients report changes in memory, concentration, processing speed or mental clarity during or after cancer treatment, sometimes described informally as “chemobrain” or “chemofog.” These changes can be influenced by many factors, including treatment, fatigue, sleep, stress and emotional health.
When cognitive symptoms are persistent or interfere with daily life, further evaluation may help identify contributing factors and determine whether neuropsychological assessment, rehabilitation or other supportive strategies may be useful.
Social Work & Practical Support
Cancer treatment can create practical and financial challenges in addition to medical concerns. Social workers can help patients and families identify resources and navigate issues that may affect the ability to continue treatment or manage everyday responsibilities.
Support may include guidance related to transportation, housing, medications, insurance concerns, financial assistance, counseling resources, caregiver needs and community programs. Available resources vary, so recommendations are based on the individual patient’s circumstances.
Spiritual Care
For patients and families who find spiritual or religious support meaningful, chaplaincy services are available through Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Chaplains support people from a wide range of faith traditions as well as those who do not identify with a particular religious tradition.
Spiritual care can provide a confidential space to discuss meaning, hope, grief, uncertainty and other concerns that may arise during illness and recovery.
Palliative Care & Symptom Support
Palliative care, also called supportive care, focuses on improving quality of life for people living with serious illness. It can be provided alongside cancer treatment and is not limited to end-of-life care.
A palliative care team may help manage pain, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, sleep problems, emotional distress and other symptoms while also helping patients and families better understand treatment choices and care priorities.
Health & Wellness Education
Educational programs can help patients learn practical ways to support health during treatment and survivorship. Topics may include nutrition, exercise, sleep, mindfulness, hormones, emotional health and other issues relevant to living well during and after breast cancer treatment.
Health & Wellness Programs
The Breast Center periodically offers educational programs featuring clinicians and other specialists who address topics of interest to patients and survivors. Program schedules and topics may change over time.
Watch Breast Cancer Wellness Programs
Recorded presentations on wellness, nutrition, mindfulness and other breast cancer topics are available through Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
Support for Families & Caregivers
Caregivers and family members may also experience stress, uncertainty, fatigue and changes in daily responsibilities while supporting someone with cancer. Counseling, support groups and caregiver resources can provide opportunities to connect with others, improve communication and develop strategies for managing the demands of caregiving.
Additional resources for patients, families and caregivers are available through Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
Explore Patient and Caregiver Resources
Wellness Is Part of Your Care
Supportive care does not begin only after treatment ends. Nutrition, physical recovery, emotional health, symptom management and practical support can all be part of breast cancer care from diagnosis through survivorship.
At the Margie Petersen Breast Center, our goal is to help patients address the effects of cancer and treatment while maintaining the greatest possible quality of life throughout their care.