Breast Cancer Awareness Month may now be over, but that doesn’t stop advocates and survivors from striving to keep the deadly disease at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
One of those survivors and advocates is Nettie Pernell, a woman who’s been very vocal about her struggles with breast cancer and is hoping to continue to support other survivors and those who may have recently been diagnosed.
“I’m interested in starting a breast cancer support group,” she told The Sampson Independent on Monday morning. “I think it’s something we really need in Sampson County. Everyone knows the statistics, that one in eight women will be given a diagnosis of breast cancer.”
Pernell stressed that survivors and those newly diagnosed “need to come together.”
“We need to give information, support, and help them find the right resources,” she said.
Pernell shared that when she was going through her diagnosis and treatment, she would have loved to have someone to talk to who was going through the same thing, and she wants to provide that for others.
“A lot of times, it would be good to have someone who understands, because they’re going through the same thing,” she said. “Sometimes, you just need someone to take you to appointments, or just to talk to about what’s going on with you.”
Pernell explained that she hopes to start a group that will be there for women going through every stage of breast cancer — diagnosis, treatment, recovery and remission. “A lot of times for people going through cancer, it’s a matter of getting support,” she said. “That is often the most important thing.”
Though breast cancer most commonly affects women, Pernell said she’d be open to men who have experienced the disease to join the group as well. “I just would love to get a group of women together — or even a man that has been through it, because breast cancer does not discriminate,” she said.
Those interested in helping Pernell form a support group may contact her at [email protected] or 910-592-6508.