As a Clinical Nurse Specialist on Breast Cancer Now’s Helpline, I’m acutely aware of the shattering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emotional wellbeing of people with breast cancer.

News of a diagnosis can be a lonely experience, and the pandemic has at times exacerbated this, denying people the chance to be with loved ones.

We’ve seen a sharp rise in calls to our Helpline and emails to our Ask Our Nurses service from people struggling emotionally – many say the loneliness they’ve felt living with breast cancer during the pandemic has been the hardest emotional impact to cope with, and that it’s negatively impacted their mental health.

As many of us look ahead to a ‘new normal’ beyond the pandemic, this World Mental Health Day, we must acknowledge the loneliness legacy facing people who’ve lived with breast cancer through the pandemic and commit to addressing it.

This Breast Cancer Awareness month, we want to remind everyone affected by breast cancer that we’re always with you, in every way we can.

Thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, our Online Support Services are one click away for anyone after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Whether you’re a younger woman, adjusting to life after treatment, or living with incurable secondary breast cancer, our tailored support provides a confidential, safe space to connect with others and access specialist information.

Find out more about Younger Women Together, Moving Forward, Someone Like Me, and Living With Secondary Breast Cancer at: breastcancernow.org/ online-services.

JANE MURPHY

Breast Cancer Now Clinical Nurse Specialist