when she overcame the disease; it simply evolved into a different struggle. Her treatments caused early menopause, she underwent reconstructive surgery and she battled anxiety and depression. My mom is not alone in her post-treatment struggles. One in eight US women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. You’ve likely heard of the causes, screenings and treatments, but not of the aftermath – until now.
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The author, Kathy Kantorski, pictured with her mother, Irene Kidwell
That woman is my mom. I was 17 years old when she fought and survived breast cancer, an impressionable age that allowed the experience to be permanently burned into my memory. And in the years that followed, I watched my mom struggle to thrive again. The severe physical and emotional trauma of the cancer meant her fight didn’t end
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The most common side effect from breast cancer treatment is fatigue. To combat this, experts recommend a moderate exercise program to increase energy levels, decrease depression and reduce pain. “Some studies show that regular exercise, such as walking 2.5 hours weekly, can actually lower the risk for cancer recurrence,” says Dr. James Hamrick, the chief of medical oncology and hematology for Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. Exercising the arms is recommended for women whose breast cancer treatment
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involved the removal of lymph nodes and radiation, as they are at risk of developing lymphedema, or swelling, in the affected arm. “Lymphedema may be mild and short-lived or become chronic. It may occur early after treatment or months or years later,” explains Lisa Sherman, BSN RN, breast health nurse navigator at WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “Exercising the affected arm regularly to keep fluid from accumulating is important.” According to Jill Binkley, breast cancer survivor and executive director of TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, as many as 60 percent of breast cancer survivors face lingering issues years after their treatment that may prevent them from fully returning to their usual roles and activities, such as lifting their children, playing sports and work demands. She notes that initiating physical therapy, massage therapy and exercise within the first few weeks following surgery is ideal and can help women get back to a full life.
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