the pink note

life with breast cancer

quick resources

sharing the resources i’ve come across during my journey, all in one place.
i’m located in waterloo, ontario, so some of these are local while others are available across canada. this list isn’t exhaustive — just what helped me. take what works, leave what doesn’t, and always talk to your care team if you’re unsure

young adult programming

young adults with cancer have very different needs than older adults – especially when it comes to community. it can feel incredibly isolating when none of your peers “get it.” these programs helped me find people who did.

  • nation wide: young adult cancer canada (yacc) – yacc supports young adults diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 18–39. they offer retreats, conferences and free online programming, peer support & support groups, and community spaces designed specifically for young people navigating cancer, survivorship, or life after treatment. i did one of the peer support groups and it was wonderful. while our weekly support chats have ended, our whatsapp group chat is popping (website & unlisted facebook group)
  • locallife – words about social programming and how the facebook group works
  • nation wide: adolescent & young adult cancer (aya cancer) through Princess Margaret Hospital – The AYA Program supports cancer patients ages 18–39 by addressing the unique challenges young adults face during and after treatment. Services include guidance around fertility and sexual health, mental health and coping, body image, returning to school or work, wellness and symptom management, and connecting with peer support and community resources. The program also helps identify individual needs and links patients to hospital and community services throughout their cancer journey.
  • south western ontario: pink pearl – pink pearl supports young women (18-39) who have been diagnosed with cancer through community events & retreats, peer connection, and wellness-focused programming. it’s especially great if you’re looking to meet other women who truly understand what this season of life feels like. this was the first group that truly helped me feel less alone after my diagnosis.
  • south western ontario: bloom club – bloomclub is a social group for young women affected by cancer. it’s centered around connection – think meetups, shared experiences, and rebuilding a sense of normalcy with people who just get it.

survivor & thrivers of instagram

seeing other young breast cancer survivors and thrivers living real, full lives helped me believe that i was going to be okay. there are so many women sharing their stories online – these are a few i’ve personally connected with.

  • jen & adrien – jen and adrien are best friends in new york documenting jen’s breast cancer journey with honesty, humour, and a lot of love. jen was diagnosed in july 2025 (the same month as me) with triple positive breast cancer. they share the behind-the-scenes reality of treatment, friendship, and showing up for each other in the hard moments.
  • katie thurston – former bachelorette contestant, katie is using her platform to spread awareness of breast cancer diagnosis at a young age after being diagnosed at 34. she is experiencing metastatic breast cancer, with spread to her liver. she also runs an instagram broadcast channel called “boobie broadcast,” where she shares updates, thoughts, and creates space for conversation and community around breast cancer and life with a diagnosis.
  • miranda mckeon – miranda is a breast cancer survivor, writer, and content creator who shares openly about being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at just 19. on her Instagram, she documents life during and after treatment, covering topics like body image, reconstruction, fertility, and young adulthood with cancer – while encouraging young women to know their bodies and advocate for their health.
  • robby spring – robby is a toronto-based breast cancer survivor and health innovation professional who shares her experience with diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. her Instagram documents topics like post-chemo hair regrowth, body image, and advocacy for earlier screening and better support for young women facing breast cancer.

*instagram can be a beautiful place for connection — but take breaks when you need to.

hair products

depending on your treatment plan, you may have chemotherapy that causes you to lose your hair – on your head, body, eye brows and eye lashes. i did not try cold capping (was not covered by my insurance and was expensive for an only 40%* success rate – lots of different stats online but I was told 40% by my team), but i did get a real-hair wig & amazon hat wig

chemotherapy products

everyone’s chemotherapy experience is different – here are a few products that helped me

  • ice gloves & socks – using similar research to cold capping for hair, using ice gloves and socks on your hands and feet can potentially help prevent neuropathy. i ended up buying two sets so i could change the ice packs periodically through my chemo sessions
  • aerie oh snap or henley sweaters – these are great for being able to have your port accessed and then being able to do your shirt back up. really, any sweater/shirt with buttons and snaps will work. zippers work too, but the snaps or button allow you to actually do you shirt up again after your port has been accessed.
  • port litocine cream – put on an hour before your port is being accessed to numb it so accessing your port is less painful
  • water gatorade tablets

brain fog products

mastectomy products

  • drain holders – depending on if you have surgery or not, you may or may not have drains for lymphatic fluid post surgery. if you do have drains, i recommend having two drain holders – one for daily use and one for when your showering. this allows you to always have one drain holder that’s dry

sharing your story with family & friends

one thing no one really prepares you for after a cancer diagnosis is how many people care about you — and how many people want updates.

while the support can be incredibly comforting, answering the same questions over and over can also be exhausting when you’re already navigating appointments, treatment, and everything else that comes with cancer. in hindsight, this is something i wish i had planned for earlier.

i mostly shared updates one-on-one, and while it came from a place of love, it sometimes meant repeating the same information many times when my energy was already limited. looking back, having a system for sharing updates probably would have made things a lot easier.

here are a few approaches that some of my cancer friends have found helpful.

caringbridge
caringbridge is a free platform where you can post updates about your health journey in one place. friends and family can follow along, leave supportive messages, and stay informed without you having to repeat the same update multiple times. it works a bit like a private blog just for your support network.

private facebook groups
some people create a private facebook group where they share updates, photos, or milestones with their community. this allows you to control who has access while giving loved ones a central place to stay informed and send encouragement.

designating an “update person”
another helpful strategy is choosing a trusted friend or family member to act as your point person. this person can share updates with others, answer questions, and help coordinate support so that everything doesn’t fall on you.

meal trains
many friends and family members genuinely want to help but don’t always know how. organizing a meal train can be an easy way to coordinate things like home-cooked meals, grocery drop-offs, or food delivery gift cards. it gives people a clear way to support you and takes some day-to-day pressure off during treatment.

everyone navigates sharing their story differently, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. but if i could go back to the beginning of my diagnosis, setting up something like this would definitely be one of the things i’d do sooner.