She’s always been there for you.
She’s the first call you make when you have good news; the last person you text before going to bed at night. She will give it to you straight (“Yes, your butt DOES look big in those jeans”) and will cut anyone who dares to cross you (insert: ex-boyfriend). She’s always had your back, and you’ve always returned the favour. She’s a SupportHER.
Think about the relationships you have with the most important females in your life. And think about how you relate to one another; how you communicate, and most importantly, how you support each other in times of crisis. Does it begin with a visit? A worrisome text? Does your loved one reach out to you immediately for solace and comfort? Or do you instinctively know something is off – after a phone call goes unanswered, an email ignored – and it’s up to you to uncover what is wrong.
How can you show support in a way that is acceptable, and appropriate, to the person who needs it most?
No two women are the same; some – myself included – will immediately shy away from open communication, while others will need to rely on the strength and kindness of loved ones to make it through. And for a woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, the need for tailored support is particularly significant.
Recently, I hosted an intimate High Tea Experience at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto. Surrounded by local influencers, and the women who support them – mothers, daughters, friends and extended family – we touched on a topic that we simply don’t discuss enough: how we can be a SupportHER. How we can be there for our loved ones who are living with breast cancer, and ensure we give them what they need (emotionally, physically and spiritually) to help see them through their treatment.
Because today, women are living with breast cancer, and they are surviving. …