Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is invasive and typically aggressive.
• A TNBC diagnosis can be challenging to deal with. However, you are not alone. Resources and groups are available to help you navigate your journey.
• You may benefit from the services of a mental healthcare provider. Strategies such as practicing mindfulness, staying socially connected, and practicing self-care can also help you cope.

Coping with cancer can be physically and emotionally challenging. This can be true for all types of cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an invasive and aggressive form of breast cancer. Fortunately, resources are available to help you navigate your journey with TNBC.

While experiences differ and every journey is unique, connecting with others through organizations, following cancer education organizations, and using localized support from networks around you can help you better understand your condition, manage its effects, and cope with its emotional toll.

Here is a list of resources to support you throughout your TNBC experience. Some resources are geared specifically toward people with TNBC, while others offer help to people with any type of cancer.

1. TNBC Foundation Online Support Group and Helpline

The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation offers a dedicated guide and advocacy program specifically for people diagnosed with TNBC. You can benefit from their online discussion forums, support groups, counseling and treatment resources, and webinars where you can also connect with other survivors. 

If you have questions, need information on useful resources like financial assistance grants, or want to speak to someone other than your healthcare provider, you can also use their helpline to speak with one of their expert oncology social workers.

2. TNBC Thrivers

If you are experiencing emotional highs and lows in your TNBC journey, those feelings are valid. Joining support groups like TNBC Thrivers can help ensure you don’t feel alone in your thoughts and emotions. 

TNBC Thrivers is a community for people who have received a TNBC diagnosis. They regularly organize virtual meetups that offer support, talks led by survivors and medical experts, and practical tips for life after diagnosis.

3. Black TNBC Sanctuary

Evidence indicates Black people are at a higher risk for TNBC. The incidence of this cancer in Black women in the United States is approximately twice that of white women. If you are Black and seeking a community with helpful resources for TNBC, you might want to check out Black TNBC Sanctuary.

Black TNBC Sanctuary is a community specifically for Black people diagnosed with TNBC. They are collaborating with the TNBC Foundation, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Nueva Vida, and TOUCH. The website shares information geared toward the Black community and resources particularly relevant to them, such as managing side effects that largely affect Black people with the condition.

4. CancerCare’s Breast and Gynecological Cancer Program

CancerCare offers educational, practical, and emotional support to people who have received a cancer diagnosis. Their Breast and Gynecological Cancer Program is specifically for people who have breast or gynecological cancers, including TNBC. 

If you have cancer, you are eligible to receive a free wig from any of their wigs and prostheses clinics in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. If you’ve had a mastectomy following your breast cancer diagnosis, you are also eligible to receive a prosthesis and bra for free. 

There are various online and live support groups you can join on their platform. And if you need financial assistance, you can check the website for available assistance and its eligibility guidelines, including co-payments for prescribed medications.

5. Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance

Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Alliance offers a valuable resource center for people with MBC, which are breast cancers that have advanced and spread to distant organs. If you are passionate about advocating for people with similar conditions and want to promote missions and initiatives in line with that, consider joining as a member.

Aside from providing educational and support services for people with metastatic breast cancer, this organization is also actively involved in providing funding for MBC research. You can find helpful resources on its website for various topics, including clinical trials, facts about MBC, and how to navigate the condition.

6. ACS CARES

ACS CARES is a program developed by the American Cancer Society (ACS). CARES stands for Community Access to Resources, Education, and Support, three things the group provides to people with cancer. To use this platform, you only need to download the free app from the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store.

Using information from the personal profile you create, the app matches you with resources personalized to your cancer journey. This includes information that is updated even as your situation changes or as new research emerges, as well as access to trained community volunteers with similar cancer experiences.

7. Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition

One area of concern regarding cancer that people hardly discuss is the financial burden. The cost of treatment can add to the psychological distress you may already have from the diagnosis and everything that comes with it.

You can find organizations or programs that offer financial assistance for people with cancer on the Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition website. Enter your cancer type in their database to search for assistance. You can also filter by the type of assistance you are looking for, such as with co-pays, medications, or screenings.

8. Cancer Support Community

Organizations like Gilda’s Club Cancer Support Community can offer support by providing coping tips and resources that address your concerns and distress.

They have a helpline that offers supportive counseling in different languages, referrals to clinical trials, and assistance with financial navigation.

They also provide localized group support at more than 200 locations, including programs such as support groups, yoga classes, and educational workshops.

Tips for Coping With TNBC and Addressing Complex Emotions

Living with triple-negative breast cancer can be physically and mentally taxing. While treatments are available and clinical trials are actively testing new targeted treatments, it is typical for many people with TNBC to feel complex emotions.

While you have little control over your condition, there are helpful tips to help you cope and improve your quality of life:

• Consider adding a therapist to your healthcare team, particularly one who specializes in helping people with cancer.
• Understand that it is okay to ask for help and to accept it. Often, loved ones want to help but may not know what you need or how to help you feel better. 
• Join a support group, and make use of resources online that are relevant to you.
• Don’t leave out self-care. Even small personal care activities, like getting a pedicure, going on a short leisure trip with friends, taking up hobbies, and getting enough sleep, can brighten your day and rejuvenate you.
• Speak to your healthcare provider about helpful tips for managing your symptoms and treatment side effects, such as eating the right foods, staying hydrated, and doing light exercises.
• Practice mindfulness using techniques such as deep breathing and meditation. This may help you feel calmer and lessen anxiety and stress symptoms.
• On days when you can, remain present for your loved ones, particularly if you find fulfillment and motivation from the relationship, such as being a parent.
• Use healthful distractions to shift your attention away from your illness, such as engaging in leisure activities.

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Kristina Dawson