Women in the United States have a 15 percent chance of developing invasive breast. Because of how common this disease is, many people will have mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, girlfriends, friends or other loved ones who will be diagnosed with it.  Here are a few ways that you can support her:

Hear what she says

Her care and diagnosis will be constantly on her mind, and she will feel the need to talk about it a lot. Give her a listening ear, even if you have nothing to add to the conversation. Being a sounding board will help her.

Give her a phone call

Many times, people won’t reach out to someone after a diagnosis because they are afraid of being intrusive. However, simply asking how she is doing and telling her she’s on your mind can make all the difference to her.

Help her feel feminine

Often, cancer treatment means losing her hair or her breasts. It can be hard to feel beautiful or feminine after that.  Let her know that she is still beautiful. Help her pick out a wig so that she return to some sense of normalcy.

Daily routine

It’s really hard to keep up with the normal routine of life when it’s taken up with doctor’s appointments and other healthcare concerns. Offer to help with things that she no longer has the time to do—such as taking her children to extra-curricular activities, grocery shopping, gardening or taking the pets for a walk.

Keep the loneliness at bay

Give her an open invitation to join you for dinner, a walk, or other social activity. Let her know your doors are open for when she needs you. Shoot her a text or send a card periodically to let her know she is not forgotten.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Brevard Medical Supplies wants to make sure all the women fighting this disease know that they are in our hearts and minds.

Halloween is a fun time of year that involves costumes, treats and parties. But, it can often be a challenge to those who are living with limited mobility. Here are a few tips on how to have a fun Halloween if you can’t get around as well as you’d like:

Turn your device into costume

If you are taking a little one door-to-door to get treats from the neighbors, get into the spirit of it by turning your mobility device into a costume. If you use a scooter or a wheelchair, there are some great ways to incorporate those, such as using cardboard to create a box shape and turning it into something that looks like a vehicle. Or, you can drape it in white cloth, letting it billow behind you as if you are a ghost. If you have a cane, you can turn that into a witch’s broom or the Grim Reaper’s scythe.

Use fall colors

If turning your device into some kind of costume is too elaborate for you, try incorporating seasonal fall colors and decorations. Take some fall leaf garland and entwine it around your wheelchair or cane, or use some cardboard to make the wheels look like giant pumpkins. You could even attach an animatronic Halloween character to the back of the wheelchair so that it pops up and scares other trick-or-treaters.

Wear easy costumes to parties

Your device will need to be able to fit in and out of entryways, so make sure you can slip the portion of the costume that goes over the wheelchair easily. This is also applicable for using the bathroom; you wouldn’t want to struggle with getting it off when you have the need to.

Here at Brevard Medical, we encourage everyone to have a fun and safe Halloween. We carry a number of devices to aid in mobility, including wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories.