Life after cancer: Happy Valley-Goose Bay woman gives back by helping others
Valerie Rachwal says there aren't any cancer support groups in town, but she wants to change that
When Valerie Rachwal was diagnosed with breast cancer, she just wanted to talk.
She didn't know anyone who'd been through cancer. Now that she has a clean bill of health, she wants to make it easier for others diagnosed with the disease, so she's starting a support group.
"When you've experienced cancer there's an empathy that you have for others that people just don't get if they haven't lived that journey," Rachwal said.
"There's always a lot of questions ... To be able to communicate with somebody who understands how you're feeling, I thought would be a really nice thing for me to be able to experience."
There aren't any cancer support groups in Happy Valley-Goose Bay or in neighbouring towns, according to Rachwal. She said the Canadian Cancer Society used to organize groups, but since the local office shut down it's something that's been lacking.
Knowing what to say
Rachwal said reaching out for help can be daunting because people get nervous talking about cancer.
"It's a very uncomfortable situation. You don't know what say but you feel you have to say something and the words don't always come out in the best way."
She said sometimes people with the best intentions accidentally say things that are more hurtful than helpful.
You don't know what say but you feel you have to say something and the words don't always come out in the best way- Valerie Rachwal
For example, Rachwal pointed to a conversation in which someone told her not to worry too much because she had a relatively treatable form of cancer, and that breast cancer is "the good cancer."
"I don't think any cancer is a good cancer, for anybody," she said, "and I'm pretty sure someone who's been through cancer wouldn't say that to another person."
Time to 'pay it forward'
Rachwal is finished treatment and doctors are confident she'll remain in good health, but she still thinks it would be therapeutic to talk to other women who've lived through cancer.
On top of that, she wants to give back to the community, after an overwhelming amount of support she received while ill.
"I felt a lot of support from people that I knew and people that I didn't know," Rachwal said.
"They helped me out financially and I always had people dropping me off meals, giving me phone calls, emails, everything. I was just amazed at that support and I feel like I've got to pay it forward."
In September, Rachwal took facilitator training offered by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to help her lead the support group.
She said it will be open to women with any kind of cancer diagnosis, whether they're still in treatment or in remission. She hopes to have the first meeting in December.
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