What you need to know

DECIDE HOW MUCH or little you want to share with people beyond those closest to you. You may want to appoint a go-to person to field the contact or use social media to keep people updated.

SAY YES to the people who want to do your ironing, take your elderly parents to the supermarket or pick up the kids from school if it saves your energy for the good stuff like an evening with your partner, or taking your kids to the park. The loss of control can feel hard, but accepting help (if it IS helpful) helps others by allowing them to make a contribution. Get your partner or a friend to make a list of what would help – and let them hand out the jobs.

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF on the bad days and celebrate the good. Plan treats for your ‘good’ non-chemo week.

THERE’S EVIDENCE that both mindfulness and yoga can help alleviate side-effects like fatigue and poor sleep during and after treatment. There’s also research looking at whether the two-day diet (with two days ‘fasting’) can reduce the toxic side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Early signs are that the results look promising.

OFFLOAD – talking to someone outside the family will allow you to say what you feel without worrying that you’ll hurt or frighten them.

STICK WITH THE PEOPLE who help you feel good, make you laugh and who see you, not just the cancer.

GET SUPPORT. Breast Cancer Care offers a helpline, email and telephone support and live chat, plus a Younger Women Together group for women aged 20-45 around the country.