Quarter Of Cancer Survivors Find Life After Illness Harder Than Treatment | HuffPost Life

'It feels like nobody is looking out for you anymore.'

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Life Editor at HuffPost UK

More than a quarter (26%) of women diagnosed with breast cancer say life after treatment is harder than the treatment itself, a charity has warned.

New research from Breast Cancer Care suggests many survivors find treatment ending harder than having a breast removed or going through chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Shockingly, only 10% say they felt positive and ready to move on when they were discharged from hospital treatment. And, of the over 800 women surveyed, more than half (53%) struggled with anxiety at the end of treatment and nearly a third (31%) with depression.

Yet almost half (42%) of those surveyed were not told by their healthcare team how to access information and support once hospital treatment ended.

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Breast Cancer Care is warning women with breast cancer are being left out in the cold at this crucial time in their recovery.

To reach more women at this point, the charity has launched a new app, BECCA, which offers women instant access to support from the moment they finish treatment for as long as they need it.

The survey found three of the toughest issues women face at the end of treatment are:

80% fear their cancer coming back
79% struggle with fatigue
52% struggle with a lack of body confidence

Katie Akerman, 46, from Chichester, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 when her youngest child was just seven months old. She struggled with anxiety after treatment.

“After attending hospital on a weekly basis for treatment, once it’s finished you’re just sent on your way and it feels like nobody is looking out for you anymore. Even family find it hard to understand that, for you, cancer is not over,” she said.

“I couldn’t put a name to it but I just felt panic-stricken. It was extreme over-reaction to things going on around me. I’d worry about my family getting killed in a car crash, or my young son choking in the night. I’d been overseas a lot for work, but suddenly I couldn’t breathe at the thought of getting on a train to London. My anxiety was controlling me and I didn’t have anywhere to turn.

“There needs to be more out there to help women understand what they’re going through and cope with the aftermath of cancer.”

Commenting on the findings, David Crosby, director of services and engagement at Breast Cancer Care, said: “These shocking figures show that, for the majority of women, breast cancer doesn’t stop when hospital treatment ends. Getting back to ‘normal’ can feel like a huge mountain to climb, and many find that leaving hospital after their last appointment is the hardest moment of all.

“Around 691,000 people are alive in the UK after a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the numbers are only set to rise. Those who have faced breast cancer have already been through enough, and should not be left to cope alone with ongoing mental health issues, debilitating physical side effects and constant fear of what lies ahead.

“The NHS must ensure every breast cancer patient has access to support once their hospital treatment ends. Despite commitments to make this happen, there has been worryingly little progress to turn this promise into reality.″

10 Famous Women Get Real About Breast Cancer

Dame Maggie Smith(01 of10)

Having cancer can knock your confidence and even film stars like Dame Maggie Smith aren't immune.

"It leaves you so flattened," the actress said following her cancer treatment.

"I’m not sure I could go back to theatre work, although film work is more tiring. I’m frightened to work in theatre now. I feel very uncertain. I haven’t done it for a while." (credit:Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

Kylie Minogue(02 of10)

Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, but she refuses to let the disease define her.

"Having had cancer, one important thing to know is you're still the same person at the end. You're stripped down to near zero," she told Good Housekeeping back in 2014.

"But most people come out the other end feeling more like themselves than ever before." (credit:Samir Hussein via Getty Images)

Jennifer Saunders(03 of10)

After her cancer diagnosis in 2009, Jennifer Saunders penned a humorous piece on the realities of treatment.

"The first time you have chemo is a bit scary, because you have no idea how you’re going to feel," she said.

"But let me tell you this: it’s basically like the most enormous hangover you’ve ever had in your whole life; it’s like a night on mixed spirits, wine and grappa. It’s a real cracker. It’s a humdinger." (credit:Empics Entertainment)

Shannen Doherty(04 of10)

Shannen Doherty said "the unknown" is the worst part of living with breast cancer.

"The unknown is always the scariest part," she told ET Online.

"Is the chemo going to work? Is the radiation going to work? You know, am I going to have to go through this again, or am I going to get secondary cancer? Everything else is manageable. Pain is manageable, you know living without a breast is manageable, it's the worry of your future and how your future is going to affect the people that you love." (credit:Jason LaVeris via Getty Images)

Olivia Newton-John(05 of10)

When Olivia Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, she learned that sometimes it's important to put yourself first.

"I learned very quickly how important it was for me to think positively," she said on her website.

"When the second friend I called with the news burst into tears, I thought - this is too stressful. I had to find someone else to handle the day to day discussions of my health so I could concentrate on healing." (credit:Ross Gilmore via Getty Images)

Wanda Sykes(06 of10)

In 2011, Wanda Sykes said her twins, who were just two years old at the time, were one of the reasons she opted to have a double mastectomy.

"We never hid anything from the kids. They were a huge part of my decision because I wanted to be around for them," she told People magazine.

"I feel whole again, I really do. I've told them, 'Mommy's boo-boo is much better now.'" (credit:Dennis Van Tine/ABACA USA)

Sharon Osbourne(07 of10)

Sharon Osbourne decided to have a double mastectomy in 2012 after discovering she has a faulty breast cancer gene, having already had treatment for the disease once.

"For me, it wasn’t a big decision, it was a no-brainer. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life with that shadow hanging over me," she said at the time.

"I didn’t even think of my breasts in a nostalgic way, I just wanted to be able to live my life without that fear all the time."

"It’s not 'pity me', it’s a decision I made that’s got rid of this weight that I was carrying around." (credit:Matt Crossick/PA Archive)

Janice Dickinson(08 of10)

In an interview shortly after her diagnosis, Janice Dickinson admitted she became scared for herself, but also for her family, when she was given a prognosis.

'It's still quite shocking. Today I got very scared... I just get very scared and it hit me [sic]. But I am not gonna let that define me, the fear," she said.

"I became fearful for my two children, my loving fiancé Rocky, we have a grandson, aged four, his name is baby Aby. I just thought they are gonna flip out." (credit:Paul Archuleta via Getty Images)

Cynthia Nixon(09 of10)

Cynthia Nixon had a lumpectomy and radiation therapy when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.

In 2008, she said being the daughter of a cancer survivor helped her get through the difficult period.

"As the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, knowing my personal risk made me more aware and more empowered when I faced my own diagnosis," she said.

"I want to help Susan G. Komen for the Cure [breast cancer charity] educate the 1.1 million women around the globe who face a diagnosis each year." (credit:Juan Naharro Gimenez via Getty Images)

Anastacia Lyn Newkirk(10 of10)

Anastacia Lyn Newkirk was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 then again in 2013, and decided to have a double mastectomy to stop the cancer from spreading.

She's now raising money for Cancer Research UK by appearing on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

"After beating breast cancer twice, I'm really passionate about trying to do something to help change the odds for others who are affected by this terrible disease," she says on her fundraising page.

"It's so important for everyone to know what's normal for them and see their doctor with any changes, as spotting cancer at an early stage can make a huge difference." (credit:Chris Jackson via Getty Images)

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