Chapter 2 We Need to Talk

In This Chapter
➤ Picking the right time
➤ Understanding what others might be thinking
➤ Family matters: telling the kids
➤ Sharing fears with loved ones
➤ Making a temporary shift in the day-to-day
Cancer. It remains one of the most difficult words in the English language to hear or
to say. At the same time, out of necessity, it’s become a pretty common topic of con-
versation because of it’s pervasiveness in our society. Consider this statistic: The risk
of cancer in men is one out of two and for women one out of three. The men and
women who develop the disease as well as their family and friends will also be af-
fected by it. Needless to say, cancer touches almost everyone’s life these days.
Nevertheless, cancer is a difficult topic to discuss. In this chapter, we’ll show you how
to talk to the people in your life who need to know about your diagnosis and your
treatment plan. It won’t be easy, but we’ll help you through it.