How A Good Support System Can Improve Healing

It is the fourth of the month and time to call your buddy as a reminder to do a self breast exam. It's also time for this month's special Buddy Check report.

In our Buddy Check segments we tell you about some of the latest technology to fight the disease, but one of the best tools in getting through treatment is as old as time itself, a good friend.

Cathie Martin says, "I met Zsuzsi 25 years ago...."

Cathie Martin and Zsuzsi Danek have been friends since the Martin's first moved to Traverse City, making time to connect through working, volunteering and raising families.

Zsuzsi says, "Each year we got closer and closer."

Then a few years ago Zsuzsi's life took a major turn.

Zsuzsi says "2003. I was going through a divorce which was not my choice so I was devastated."

But that wasn't her only life changing event that year. She also learned she had breast cancer.

Cathie says, "Then she got hit with this news. How much can one person handle?"

But that was a question Zsuzsi would never have to answer thanks to Cathie.

Zsuzsi says, "She just took over what I couldn't think of. I didn't have to ask for anything. it was just there."

Zsuzsi says, "As a professional woman I've gone through a lot of things in my life and I've never asked for help. Even at the time it didn't cross me to ask for her help. It's just like she was there. 'Oh, I'm coming with you.' And there's Cathie Martin taking notes."

And that kind of treatment is often some of the best medicine.

Nurse Practitioner Kendra Worden says, "It helps to have a good support system to get you through it. I think sometimes taking the burden off the patient by doing some of those day to day things helps them focus on their health and getting better."

Cathie says, "Pretty much I became a patient advocate for her."

Cathie was there for the entire journey from the doctors appointments all the way to Zsuzsi's surgery.

Zsuzsi says, "Just in pre-op the nurse came by to ask if I needed anything to calm me down and I said no I have my friend here and everything was just fine."

And Cathie made sure that was also the case after surgery.

Cathie says "of course she thought she was going home and that wasn't going to happen. She came to our house and we took care of her for the next 5-6 days."

Zsuzsi says, "I was the only person in her life, that's how she made me feel."

Cathie says, "Just as you would be with your sister, you'd be there as much and as often as they needed you."

Zsuzsi says, I hate to say it but it was a wonderful experience. How can you say that about breast cancer? But it was."

What an amazing friendship.

The nurse practitioner we spoke with, Kendra Worden says support like this is key to your treatment. It can be a great friend, a spouse, a sibling, a pastor, or a neighbor. But there are people willing to help, just don't be afraid to ask, or accept when it's offered.

Do you have a friend, or someone who helped support you or advice for other caregivers? Leave your comments below.