The role of Occupational Therapy after Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Kathy Bates, Rita Wilson, Hoda Kotb, Wanda Sykes, and Julia-Louis Dreyfus. What do these ladies have in common, besides being famous, beautiful, and strong? They are all breast cancer survivors. According to the American Cancer Society, the average risk of a woman developing breast cancer is 13%, meaning that there is 1 in 8 chance for a female to develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death in women (Cancer.org). However, over the years the death rate has decreased, possibly due to increased awareness, early detection, and better treatments. The rate of surviving breast cancer depends on the stage of the breast cancer when it is diagnosed, however according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation the five year survival rate in the U.S. for all types and stages of breast cancer combined is 91% (nationalbreastcancer.org). This last piece of information is good news.
Over the years, the knowledge and evidence on how to treat breast cancer, and what services are needed, have improved. Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are NOT alone. There is a whole healthcare team that can provide care, support, and treatment. One of the healthcare providers that is available for support and treatment is occupational therapists.
Occupational therapists can provide education and treatments immediately following surgery, during the recovery period, or during the chemo or radiation phase of treatment depending on the issues that the breast cancer patient is experiencing. Many cancer survivors have to deal with scarring, swelling, fatigue, pain, and limited movement in the affected limb. However occupational therapists are able to use manual treatments to reduce swelling, increase range of motion of the affected limb, and reduce pain. Sometimes the pain causes the breast cancer survivor to be unable to sleep comfortably, and an occupational therapist can provide compression or specialized cushion supports to allow the person to sleep throughout the night. Other times, a breast cancer survivor needs to regain independence with daily activities, such as dressing, bathing and meal preparation, and an occupational therapist can address these limitations and develop solutions. In addition, many times a breast cancer survivor has distress related to changes in body image following surgery and an occupational therapist can provide emotional support. Overall, the role of the occupational therapist is specific to the needs of the cancer survivor.
Local breast cancer survivor, Cindy Berns of Postville is a patient of Tami’s who has greatly benefitted from this treatment. She states, “Tami is wonderful! I didn’t realize there was help for Lymphedema and the cording. I couldn’t have done this without her. This occupational therapy is local and I can drive 10 minutes to come here instead of all the way to Iowa City. We are so lucky to have this hospital here and especially services like this.”
Occupational therapist’s goal is for the person recovering from cancer to feel like a survivor. A strong, independent, and confident individual who can face their limitations, overcome them, and move forward in order to be able to enjoy their productive, and fulfilling life. If you, or a family member, has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, or is currently undergoing cancer treatments, and wish to address physical or emotional issues, or pain related to the cancer treatments, please contact the therapy department at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-5528.
By: Tami Gebel, OTR/L
