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Hannah-Grace Scheuch
Mrs. DeBock
English 4 Honors
March 18, 2015
Cancerous Triumph
An uncontrollable division of abnormal cells in the breast causes a disease called breast
cancer. When someone has breast cancer brought among them, it takes more of a toll than just
having cancer. Cancer can change a person more than expected and more than wanted. Breast
cancer can affect more people than just the victim by being emotionally, physically, and mentally
unstable.
It seems easy doing a normal every day routine being a mother, soccer player or a big
sister. Every day the sun is shining bright, the water tastes crisp and refreshing, and the world is
right under the ground that is confidently walked upon. Until the next doctor visit, something is
wrong. Then as if a blink of an eye, the world comes crumbling down. This is the toll that breast
cancer can take emotionally. It brings a feeling of being depressed, being angry, and being
fearful. A person with cancer might feel the loss of control over life events, and have to deal with
changes in body image (Rosen 1). This life-changing event affects not only the victim, but the
family. The family and caregivers often feel like they cannot help more than they are (Rosen 1).
The family members also live in fear that their loved one will pass or suffer more than they
already have. People dealing with cancer thats spread and is making the person feel worse may
have more emotional distress than those dealing with early-stage cancers (Rosen 1). It is like an
on-going drill into their heart that does not have an off switch.

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Along with emotional distress comes the physical pain. The victim of breast cancer deals
with vomiting, nausea, and being fatigue which leads to taking multiple medications (Rosen 1).
The family can sometimes get the side effects of the victim as if showing sorrow the same way.
The breast cancer patient will at times have weight and hair loss, along with their happiness. One
of the most effective ways to treat the side effects of breast cancer treatment is to begin a
provider-approved course of arm exercises (OBrien1). The treatments that help with the pain
like occupational and physical therapy gives a sort of hope that everything will be okay. "One
of the benefits of rehabilitation and physical therapy is that exercise can help with fatigue, which
is a very common complaint among patients with breast cancer," says Dr. Shille (OBrien 1). It
may seem like there is nothing to look forward to after this life-changing experience happens, but
treatments that help are up-lifting. In some rare cases, when a tragedy like this happens, some
people have the opposite effect. They start working out, going the extra mile, living as if every
day was their last. Not many people have the strength to do that, but those who do are the
survivors.
With having emotional and physical distress, it makes it easy to over think more than
what anyone should. Having breast cancer can really make someone live in fear. Imagine every
day wondering if the cancer is getting better or worse. Try being in the family shoes thinking that
their son, daughter, or cousin might not make it. Important tragedies like this can make someone
go insane. Breast cancer survivors who have more social support tend to cope better emotionally
than survivors with little support (Koman 1). Up to 75 percent of people with cancer experience
cognitive problems during treatment, and up to 35 percent have issues that continue for months
after treatment has finished (Attention, Thinking, or Memory Problems 1). Many times mental
fatigue or disorientation can occur from the amount of stress among the person (Attention,

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Thinking, or Memory Problems 1). With all these disadvantages that tag along with breast
cancer, hope is right there riding right beside. It does not seem like there is much to look forward
to with a case like this but there is good news and bad news: nothing is permanent, only
temporary.
Breast cancer can affect more people than just the victim by being emotionally,
physically, and mentally unstable. Challenges that come by surprise usually are not the easiest
things to handle, but some make it work. The sun still shines, the flowers still grow, and life goes
on. The perspective of life and how it is looked upon is up to that person. Whether or not they get
breast cancer or a loved one, the effects are the same and go a long way. Although, it is up to
them to decide how long the effects last.

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Works cited

"Attention, Thinking, or Memory Problems." Cancer.Net. American Society of Clinical

Oncology, 1 June 2013. Web.
Koman, Susan. "Coping with Stress." Social Stress. Breast Cancer Research, 8 Apr. 2014. Web.
O'Brien, Joanna. "Physical Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients Minimizes Side Effects." Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 20 Mar. 2012.
Web
Rosen, Gloria. "Cancer Affects Your Emotional Health." Depression and Cancer. American
Cancer Society, 20 Sept. 2013. Web.