A safe space during breast cancer awareness month

In a few weeks it will be the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Which means that life turns pink for the month of October. Celebrities and influencers wear pink in an effort to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. Which is great. All this pink stuff has certainly got breast cancer on the map. People check their breasts which is fabulous because the early detection can save lives. And people donate to breast cancer charities by buying these pink goods – be it a pink T shirt, a pink bracelet, a pink frying pan, pink cakes, pink everything.

It’s a very noisy month and it can be hard to escape breast cancer on social media, in shops and on mainstream media.

Some of you may welcome this month and the opportunity to shout about your own experience in order to raise awareness of early detection and raise funds for breast cancer charities. All of this is fantastic.

But BCAM can also be an incredibly triggering time for many.

There will be many of you who just want to climb under your duvet and hibernate for the month, resurfacing on 1 November. Whether you’re going through treatment, finished treatment years ago or are living with breast cancer, every day is a breast cancer day for you and you really don’t want it forced upon you any more than it already is.

And this is where we come in. Future Dreams can be your safe space during this month.

Online support from the Information Hub

First of all, we have a host of fabulous articles on our online Information Hub to help you cope. Why not check out:

Coping with anxiety and other mental health issues – we talk about how things like mindfulness, talking, coaching (and more) can help.

Everyday activities that can have therapeutic benefits – this article suggests other ways to help cope with issues arising from your cancer.

Relaxation tips – this article introduces you to things like meditation, mindfulness, reiki and more.

Breathing Techniques to Help You During and After Cancer – Louisa explains how to use the breath to relax and calm.

Quick Tips to Fortify Yourself After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis – Bami provides some practical tips on fortifying yourself after a diagnosis.

How to exercise after a breast cancer diagnosis – Sarah talks about the benefits of exercise and how it also helps with stress and worry.

Writing tips to help you through cancer – using writing as a way to cope with your emotions, stress and anxiety.

Yoga Helped Me Rebalance After Breast Cancer  – you may want to try yoga in which case this article by Marcia will talk you through getting started.

Life After Cancer – this section is dedicated to articles from Dr Jane Clarke where she explains the reasons why you’re feeling a certain way after your treatment.

In-person support at Future Dreams House

Our Future Dreams House in London is a place for anyone who is going through breast cancer treatment, has completed breast cancer treatment or is living with secondary breast cancer. We have a huge range of support groups, workshops and one-to-one therapies. Or you can just drop in for a quiet cup of tea on your own.

Breast cancer support: book classes, therapies and workshops

In-person or online, wherever you are in the UK. Future Dreams offers a wide variety of group and individual support for women at any stage of a breast cancer journey.

We want people to feel that the House is a safe space during BCAM: a non-medical environment run by a team of supportive women where you’ll come across others in your situation.

You can join a workshop or support group such as one of our:

• Community groups, including, ‘Amanda’s Coffee Morning’
• Calming/creative workshops such as Yarn Therapy, Singing, Dance, Film Club or Sound Bath.
• Movement workshops such as Ballet, Dance, Relaxing Yoga, Pilates, Strength & Balance or Qi Gong.
• Mental Wellbeing workshops such as Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, Mindfulness or Life Coaching.
• Educational workshops such as Nutrition, Cooking, Menopause, Sex & Intimacy or Look Good Feel Better.

Booking details for all of the above can be found here.

There are also options for one-to-one appointments. For example, you can book in for a chat with one of our breast care nurses or for a one-to-one therapy such as acupuncture or counselling. To book, see here.

Virtual support from Future Dreams

Some of our in-person offerings are also available online via teams or zoom.

We have a wide range of online workshops. These include Pilates, Yoga, mindfulness for the secondary community, hypnotherapy, breathwork, end of day yoga, nighttime EFT and our creative reflection retreat. And in October we’re launching our first virtual coffee morning (details to be released shortly). You can book on to any of our online offerings via the online booking system

Breast Cancer Support online: Virtual groups, classes and workshops

Find breast cancer support online from anywhere in the world with our virtual breast cancer support groups, exercise classes and workshops. Access expert advice and guidance from your own home.

And if you’re looking to talk to someone, you can make an appointment to talk to one of our breast care nurses or counsellors on the phone or over zoom or teams here.

Helpful resources

For anyone struggling, here are some other support resources:

Mind This is a mental health charity providing support and information including an infoline and centres across the UK.

The Good Grief Trust This charity supports those who are grieving the loss of someone close to them.

The Blurt Foundation is a social enterprise dedicated to helping those affected by mental health issues. The have a brilliant website with loads of resources.

Managing stress and anxiety, Breast Cancer Now.

10 Tips for Managing Cancer-Related Stress and Anxiety, Dana- Farber Cancer Institute.

Blurtitout.org A website with many resources for people suffering from anxiety and depression.

To return to the homepage of our Information Hub, click here where you can access helpful information, practical advice, personal stories and more.

Reviewed September 2024

Unless otherwise specified the information and content provided on this page has been written from a patient’s perspective then reviewed by a breast care nurse and it is intended for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your medical team for advice on anything covered in this article and/or in relation to your personal situation. The links and/or recommendations in this article to third-party resources are for your information and we take no responsibility for the content contained in those third-party resources. Any product recommendations made in this article are not product endorsements and unless otherwise stated, they are made without any affiliation to the brand of that product. We ask you to note that there may be other similar products available.