Folk Tales: Telling Your Parents

Age comes into play when telling your parents about your illness. If your parents are
very old, physically ill, suffering from senility, or living far away, you may decide not
to tell them at all.
If you do decide to tell—and if you’re at all close to your parents we recommend that
you do—understand that the news their child has a life-threatening illness violates
the natural order of things. They are the ones that are supposed to become ill and
face their mortality, not their children.
At the same time, no matter how old you and they are, you’re still their baby, and
most parents want the best for their babies. Breast cancer isn’t the best. It will be diffi-
cult news for them to hear, to accept, and to cope with. The hardest part may be their
feelings of helplessness—for once, there is truly nothing they can do to keep their
child from being hurt.
Another issue to consider is the health and vitality of your parents. If they already
lead sedentary, solitary lives, your news could increase their risk of developing depres-
sion. In this case, the best thing you can do for them is to let them do something for
you! If there are ways that they can help you, please ask. Being active and involved
will help them be part of your recovery.