How to help my friend?

[citiesofgold]

Hi, a friend of mine is having tests next week for possible breast cancer. She has a family history of this and is expecting the worst. If it is cancer, how can I help her? I don't live in the same area as her, so can't help with school runs or anything like that (she has 3 kids, including one with serious ongoing health problems).

Obviously I'm hoping it isn't cancer, but want to know what I can do for her if it is bad news. She's not very good at asking for help.

The old cliche of just being there for her. You say you dont live near her so do you keep in touch by email? Just to let her know you are thinkig of her & hoping for good news on the day she has her test or finds out results would mean a lot i'm sure.

If it is worse case & cancer then she'll probably be given lots of leaflets. Best thing you can do is just be there to listen when she needs to talk about it, or not talk about it and talk about everythig else.

I dont have experience of this myself but do live on the other side of the world from my best friend and when either of us are having a rough time we email and use it as a bit of a diary, just with someone who we trust at the other end to listen and not judge.

HTH