Dow University launches breast cancer support group to help women heal beyond treatment

KARACHI: A breast cancer diagnosis can change far more than a woman’s medical treatment. It can bring fear of recurrence, emotional distress, concerns about body image, changes in family relationships and uncertainty about life during and after cancer care.

Recognising these often-unspoken dimensions of the disease, the Department of Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), in collaboration with the A.Q. Khan Institute of Behavioral Sciences, has launched a dedicated Breast Cancer Support Group to provide patients and survivors with a space to share their experiences, seek support and connect with others who understand the journey.

The support group was launched on October 3, 2026, bringing together women who have survived breast cancer and patients who are currently undergoing treatment.

Rather than focusing only on the clinical aspects of cancer care, the inaugural session created a space for participants to speak openly about the realities that continue beyond diagnosis and treatment.

The session opened with a survivor sharing her personal experience of breast cancer—from diagnosis and treatment to fear, resilience and recovery. Her story provided an emotional starting point for a wider discussion about the challenges women face while living with the disease and navigating life after treatment.

The conversation then brought together oncology and psychology perspectives, allowing participants to explore aspects of breast cancer that can be difficult to discuss in conventional clinical settings.

Among the issues discussed were emotional wellbeing, fear of cancer recurrence, body image, family dynamics and coping during treatment, as well as the importance of having a supportive environment in which patients feel heard and understood.

When treatment is only part of the journey

For many women, completing treatment does not necessarily mean that the emotional impact of cancer ends. Concerns about recurrence, changes in physical appearance, relationships and uncertainty about the future can remain part of survivorship.

The support group therefore places patients and survivors at the centre of the conversation.

Participants shared what had helped them remain strong during difficult periods, what they wished family members and others understood about their experiences, and what they would want to tell someone who has only recently received a breast cancer diagnosis.

Those first-hand accounts offered something that medical advice alone cannot always provide: the reassurance of hearing from someone who has personally navigated a similar experience.

The messages shared during the session reflected that emphasis on connection and hope.

Participants were reminded that life continues beyond a cancer diagnosis, that it is important to acknowledge difficult emotions without losing hope, and that seeking support is not a sign of weakness.

They also highlighted how one survivor’s experience can become a source of strength for another woman beginning her own cancer journey.

From a single session to a continuing community

The significance of the initiative extends beyond the inaugural gathering.

According to Dow University of Health Sciences, the Breast Cancer Support Group is intended to continue meeting regularly, creating an ongoing community where women can talk, listen, connect and support one another.

That continuing structure is particularly important because breast cancer survivorship is not limited to the period in which a patient receives active treatment. Emotional and psychosocial needs can evolve throughout diagnosis, treatment, recovery and survivorship.

By bringing patients, survivors, oncology professionals and psychology expertise into the same space, the initiative seeks to strengthen the supportive dimensions of breast cancer care alongside medical treatment.

The inaugural meeting ended with a message that captures the purpose of the group: a cancer diagnosis may become one chapter in a person’s life, but it does not define the whole story.

For women confronting breast cancer, the new support group aims to make sure that story is not faced in isolation.

Its central message is simple: you are heard, you are supported, and you are not alone.

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