Local support group helps with cancer survival

By Emily Baldauf
Staff Writer

When Jo Honig learned that she had breast cancer, her first thoughts were of her college-aged children, especially her two daughters.

"One of the things that happened to me right away is I thought ‘Oh my goodness, look at what I’ve done to my girls; look at my genes, the genes I’ve given to them,'" Honig said.

Honig was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago after a doctor confirmed a lump she found herself was malignant. Honig was only 49 years old.

"I remember thinking I was too, too young to die," Honig said. "I didn’t really have a sense of what this was going to mean."

Honig’s treatment included a modified radical mastectomy which removed all of her breast tissue and lymph nodes under her arms, while leaving the pectoral muscles and nerves intact. Honig also underwent eight months of chemotherapy.

While her body suffered under these stresses, Honig tried desperately to cope with the emotional effects of losing her breast and lymph nodes and the effects the cancer had on her husband, son and two daughters.

"My family was wonderful, but it would have been helpful to talk to someone that had gone through everything before," Honig said. "I needed to feel support from others — to realize that there is a group of people that understand and to realize that you are not alone."

In response to this need, two years after her diagnosis Honig created a support group for women living and surviving breast cancer. Honig, along with the help of a Purdue graduate student studying support groups, started the Lafayette organization 10 years ago. Since then, the support group has been providing area breast cancer sufferers the understanding and friendship Honig needed so long ago.

"We started the group because there was no support in the community," said Honig. "Women going through this need to talk; they need to hear each other and support each other."

The group grew increasingly popular as the spread of early self-detection and mammograms led to more diagnosis.

"I have definitely seen the need for this support group in the Lafayette community," said Nicole Baker, director of the Women’s Cancer Program at the YWCA where the monthly meetings are held. "I would say this group has between 30-50 people at each monthly meeting. It is a good network of support for people going through this tough time in their life."

The meetings provide women in the community a place to talk about what to expect from different surgeries and treatments, how to help family members cope and how to stay healthy and remain positive. The meetings also give women a place to laugh about the personal affects that non-sufferers might not understand, such as hair loss.

"Our goal is to give women encouragement," Baker said. "The biggest thing is to make them see they are not alone; it is not the end of the world and it will get better."

The meetings are also open to women’s loved ones who want to support them.

"If anyone has a connection with breast cancer because they have had a loved one diagnosed, this is a great opportunity for them because the group needs to take people under their wing and encourage them," Baker said.

Susan Prieto-Welch, a breast cancer survivor who has attended the meetings for a few years, has found the group particularly well grounded and optimistic.

"It is a great environment to explore and see if your needs can be addressed by this type of situation," Baker said.

The next breast cancer support group meeting will be held from 7-9 p.m. today at the YWCA of Greater Lafayette.

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