In 2013, some 2.8 million American women were reported to have a history of breast cancer. Amidst pinkwashing campaigns and the real disease lie the actual women who are experiencing it all. It affects millions of people every year and it takes tremendous strength and courage to fight. But it’s not just the patient who fights; the whole family takes a stand against it. 'My mom has breast cancer' is a term you wouldn't hear a typical teen saying out loud because they don't know how to process the disease. About a million American children have a parent who is a cancer survivor and a third of them are teens. Most teens avoid talking about the situation. Many of them never open up even to their friends and it is difficult for them to come to terms with their parent’s disease.

The Breast Cancer Husband

The stats can have a deep impact on anyone who reads them, but absolutely nothing prepares a partner for when their significant other becomes breast cancer positive. Husbands have their plates full tending to their wife’s emotional and physical wounds as well as dealing with their own fears and insecurities. Most importantly, dads now have an additional responsibility to ensure their teens’ emotional well-being. Coping with breast cancer in the family is difficult but at the same time other responsibilities cannot be neglected.  

Encouraging your teen to communicate 

Maya Silver’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago. Then 15, Maya felt out of synch and she was sure no one knew what she was going through. She had trouble confiding in any of her friends or family members. Years later, she mustered the courage to write a book about it, the entire credit of which she gives to her dad.

Marc Silver, Maya’s dad had kept all channels of communication open for his teenage daughters throughout her mother’s illness. Marc understood that this was a violent jerk that had thrown his teens from their normal lives into a world of hospitals, treatment, and doctors. In such situations, most teens become introverts, rarely letting out their feelings and emotions. The only person at that time, who can not only hear them out, but also understand what they are going through, is their dad. Being there for your teen and guiding them through this difficult time will make you teen open up to you and vent out his or her feelings.

Daddy’s Girl

Coping with breast cancer in the family is traumatic for teens, especially daughters. Instead of silently going through the illness alone, it is better for you to tell every stage of treatment and other medical issues to your teen daughters.

The risk of a woman increases by almost double if her mother has had a history of breast cancer. By keeping your teen daughters informed and updated, you are helping them become aware of the signs and symptoms that lead to this invasive disease. While your wife copes with breast cancer, remember to also educate your daughters about the disease.   

Once teens know what is actually going on, they are going to keep their guards up. Helping your teen communicate and talking to them about the problems you are facing will not only make them aware of the disease they are at risk of but will also ensure that they take precautionary measures so as to prevent it.