How to Tell Your Family and Friends You Have Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma, the form of cancer that affects the tissue surrounding the organs, is one of the rarer forms of cancer. Even so, there are thousands of new cases diagnosed each year. Telling your family and friends you have cancer may be tough, but it's also important. Support groups are available to help you cope with mesothelioma, but having the support and understanding of the people you love is probably the most important part of overcoming the disease.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

1. Be honest and up front about your condition as soon as you learn your diagnosis. It's important that you tell your friends and family sooner rather than later, if for no other reason than you'll benefit from their support during your treatment.
2. Have time set aside each day or throughout the week to meet with people you know so you don't have to deal with your cancer alone. Having people around to keep you busy and join you during treatments can make the entire process much easier to deal with and more effective.
3. Bring your friends and family with you to the doctor so that everyone can ask questions that you might be uncomfortable answering--or asking--on your own. The more people feel free to talk about it, the better equipped they'll be to help you.
4. Attend support group meetings with friends and family, so that you can share your experience with others who are on the same path. This will keep you from feeling alone, and it will give your friends and family people to talk to who understand what effect your condition is having on them.
5. Follow up with caring and patience. Hearing about your diagnosis may prove a terrible shock to some of your loved ones. Give them time to process the information, then follow up with simple questions about how they are feeling. If you don't, they may be too concerned about your feelings to dare speak about their own.
6. Ask loved ones to support you or even join you in any lifestyle changes you wish to make, such as quitting smoking, abstaining from or reducing alcohol intake or regularly going to a church, mosque or temple.

Tips & Warnings

• Always get a second opinion when dealing with the possibility of being diagnosed with mesothelioma or any cancer. Test results are reliable, but there are instances of erroneous results. Getting a second opinion verifies results and helps to prevent further damage in the case of a falsely negative result.
• Ask a member of your healthcare team, such as a therapist, doctor or nurse, about suggestions for telling family and friends about your illness.
• Know that you have a legal right to keep your diagnosis private at work: you don't have to tell your boss about your cancer. Read The Patient's Bill of Rights to learn more.
• Speak to your doctor about receiving treatment for your mental health in addition to your physical health. Many patients dealing with mesothelioma can end up suffering from depression, anxiety or other negative mental effects.