What Do I Say To Someone With Breast Cancer?

Have a loved one diagnosed with depression? Cancer? The thought of talking to that person can be scary and awkward. What do you say? What is polite, appropriate, helpful?

“What Do I Say” is a new original video series that will answer these questions on an ongoing basis. Tune in on Wednesdays, and look at our schedule below to see when we’re covering a topic affecting your life.

ABOUT DR. MARNEE SPIERER

Dr. Marnee Spierer (Radiation Oncologist): A Board Certified physician in Radiation Oncology, Dr. Spierer recently served as Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she served as residency program director and was instrumental in the education of residents and medical students. Dr. Spierer also played an integral part of the multidisciplinary sarcoma, pediatric and breast tumor boards. She specializes in adult radiation oncology, with particular focus on breast cancer, sarcoma, and stereotactic body and CNS radio surgery.

After receiving her B.A. at the University of Michigan, Dr. Spierer pursued her MA at the Teachers College at Columbia University. Dr. Spierer then went on to pursue her M.D. at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Following an internship at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in New Jersey, she did her residency in Radiation Oncology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Spierer is a member of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the American Board of Radiology, American Association for Woman in Radiology, American Society of Breast Diseases, New York Metropolitan Breast Cancer Group.

Dr. Spierer has been an invited lecturer on several topics including women's oncology and breast cancer. Her published writings have focused on breast cancer, sarcoma, lymphoma, and pediatric malignancies. She has served as principal investigator on several clinical trials and has been actively involved in many clinical research studies.

Comments

[karen lyons kalmenson]

08:51 AM on 09/02/2011

when my mom was diagnosed, i simply said "i love you"

[love5pets]

08:39 AM on 09/01/2011

It's the platitudes that are insulting: "think positive" "attitude has a lot to do with it"...insensitive and trite phrases often uttered by individuals who, thankfully, don't have the disease.

In addition to the terror of being diagnosed and oftentimes the guilt of "what did I do to get this disease" you now have the extra stress of having to "think positive" and if you don't, the disease will come back and consume you.

The psychological side effects of this horrific disease can be just as debilitating as the physical toll it takes on a woman's body. Not much attention is given to that.

[LRM216]

12:56 PM on 08/31/2011

All we ask is that you be sincere, and leave off all the stupid platitudes such as, Breast Cancer is so easily "curable" (there is no "cure" people), or " it's been caught early, don't worry - you'll beat it," etc., etc. Breast cancer is a very insidious disease that follows absolutely NO rules. It does what it wants - whenever it wants. I bet, other than those of you with a loved one suffering (or suffered) from breast cancer, don't know that EVERY 69 SECONDS, a woman somewhere in the world is dying of breast cancer.

I know from whence I speak - I am a breast cancer "sister."