What's next after breast cancer?

January 2, 2015 Damarise Navarro, MPH

The Swedish Cancer Institute offers several groups for patients and their caregivers, one of which being ABC-After Breast Cancer: What’s Next?  The breast cancer survivorship class has positively impacted the lives of many individuals and has shown to be extremely beneficial and of great interest to breast cancer patients.


ABC is a free eight-week supportive educational series for women to learn practical life skills to help rebuild after active breast cancer treatment is completed. During the eight-week program participants have the opportunity to make peace with the impacts of cancer treatment, reduce the stress cancer places on relationships, overcome the fear of recurrence, and renew hope and increase resilience.  Individuals who are preparing to complete or have completed breast cancer treatment are invited to sign up for the class. The program provides a sense of community amongst breast cancer survivors.

Beth Crispin is a previous participant of the ABC program. Ms. Crispin was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the class and was generous to share her thoughts about it with us.  She mentioned that due to the content of the class, “It was as vital to me as my treatment.”  The group provides a range of useful information to participants so much so that Ms. Crispin stated “…there was so much more about my cancer and my journey that I hadn’t considered nor was I prepared for.”  One of the goals of the program is to help women who are preparing or have just completed treatment feel more at ease and understand their journey and recovery ahead, which is the case with Ms. Crispin.  She feels the class provided her with practical planning and reflection tools as well as resources that she could use in the future when the need arises.   

The ABC program is facilitated by Jacci Thompson-Dodd, MSW and author of WHOLE: 12 Principles for Rebuilding Life after Breast Cancer.  Ms. Crispin described Ms. Thompson-Dodd as an incredibly effective facilitator with a difficult topic. This is a supplemental program and according to Ms. Crispin, the facilitator “… covered so many things that just aren’t covered in regular doctor or surgeon appointments.” 


For more information about ABC-After Breast Cancer: What’s Next? please call 206-386-2505 or visit www.swedish.org/classes.


Swedish/First Hill 2015

Wednesdays: 4:30-6 p.m.
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  • Spring: March 12-April 30
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