Support group provides haven of hope
A diagnosis of breast cancer can be devastating, but there is hope and information available.
While many organizations such as the American Cancer Society are available to help women navigate the trials and successes of this disease, Butler Breast Cancer and Women's Cancer Support Group provides women with more personal opportunities to share their concerns and connect.
“Unless you have been there and have gone through it, it is difficult for others to understand,” said Cheryl Schaefer, who leads the group, which has been there for women and their families for decades.
“All cancers are similar as well as side effects, but every cancer journey is different. This group provides each person with the opportunity to share their unique experiences,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer, whose says her own story is one of hope and living life in the moment, was a member of the group early in its inception, and took over years ago.The group was founded more than 30 years ago by Phyllis Schawalder when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, to create a safe space for women with breast cancer to gather and share their stories.Schaefer stepped in to support Phyllis and run the group while she changed jobs in the late-1990s. Phyllis eventually asked Schaefer to take it over permanently due to availability. Phyllis died later after a recurrence of her breast cancer. Schaefer has kept the group going in her honor.“What we feel isn't in the textbooks. Doctors can only tell you so much about what you will feel,” Schaefer said, noting the importance of the group.Throughout that time, Schaefer has been on her own journey — she has experienced various types and stages of cancer since 1990, and she has lived with stage 4 breast cancer since 2008.She said that, perhaps, the greatest benefits to those who attend the group are peace of mind, being able to talk about individual circumstances and sharing resources. She also said it is a matter of importance that they build lifelong relationships.Attendees share everything from the bad taste in their mouth after treatment to the way it felt when they first noticed their hair falling out. The active support group offers a consistently safe space with some structured conversation and an opportunity to share in an open forum.“The friendships that you form are unlike anything that most people can imagine. Our group is not only open to women with breast cancer but to any woman [that has any type of] cancer,” said Schaefer. “We become like sisters from another mother.”Over the years, the group has helped many women, Schaefer said, including four sisters who have attended the group at various times and oftentimes with each other. She also recalls a woman who was brought in by her brother after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and he was diagnosed with colon cancer.Schaefer said she was even able to Skype with a woman from Africa who was seeking counsel online and found the group on the PA Breast Cancer Coalition website.
As the years have progressed, the names and faces of those in attendance have changed as well as the support and information concerning advancements in medication and treatment.Schaefer said that the greatest change that has taken place over the years has been the ability to help.“At one time, we didn't have the help that big cities have, but we have grown and gained emotional and financial support that has allowed us to support many women and their families,” she said.
Along with the mental and emotional support from Butler Breast Cancer and Women's Cancer Support Group, Schaefer, through the group, also provides a variety of benefits to those afflicted.She has been able to help with rent and mortgage assistance, utility payments, babysitting, gas cards and durable medical supplies, such as wigs and prosthetics, among other items.Patients and their families are connected first with organizations that can help, such as food banks and other charitable organizations, but when all help is exhausted she makes sure families have what they need with money the group has been able to raise through various events and donations.All funds go directly to services for and to local families. Schaefer said that no one is turned away no matter what the need.“Women being diagnosed with cancer need someone to stand with them, said Schaefer. “We do that.”
There is no doubt that this group has made an impact for many women and their families who attend, or have attended over the years.Each meeting provides support and information intended to make each patient's journey more manageable.One of the best tips that Schaefer offered was the need for patients to obtain copies their medical documents to share with family members, especially sons and daughters. With HIPAA laws in place, these records might not be accessible at a time that families may need this vital information.She encourages everyone involved in the group to help at least one person. She says that help and concern exponentially reaches others.“As they progress through this, everyone is encouraged to help one more person get through it,” Schaefer says. “It's amazing how that help multiplies and we become sisters.”
All are welcome to attend the Butler Breast Cancer and Women's Cancer Support Group, where women share the burden of their diagnoses and all that entails. Family members and friends who are also affected often attend as well.Meetings take place from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month in the basement of Trinity Lutheran Church, 120 Sunset Drive in Butler.During the early part of the pandemic, meeting locations had to change due to COVID-19. At one point, the group even met in a parking lot while practicing social distancing and wearing masks.Despite the challenges, Schaefer says the group is still strong. And she's resolved to keep it that way — she is determined to make sure that this group meets, even in the face of restrictions.
Upcoming fundraisers for Butler Breast Cancer and Women's Cancer Support Group include Boscov's shopping passes at $5 for 25% off in the store, craft fairs and a stuffed chicken breast dinner at the Butler Moose lodge, 225 West Jefferson St. in Butler. Information is available on the group's Facebook page.For more information about the Butler Breast Cancer and Women's Cancer Support Group, call Cheryl Schaefer at 724-282-4421 or visit its Facebook page.
