Breast Friend | Share Your Troubles
Calendar Share Your Troubles
The creation of this calendar was inspired by international project Breast Friend. Mamma HELP is an eight year-old association of patients with breast cancer and it takes care of patients with this diagnosis so that no one stays alone and without help. The message of the calendar "Share Your Troubles" means to encourage all women who are shy to ask for help in their difficult situations.
Calendar
January
Jana with her friend Majka
We have known each other for a long time so she was the first one I went to, when I was told the news. I am not going to shock my children, parents or husband. It may not be true, anyway. It cannot be true, I told to myself. I did not have to hide my tears. She did not hide them either. They were relieving, purifying. It was between the two of us and there were two of us to fight it. Two female souls, who trusted each other and who, at least for a second, believed in a miracle…
February
Lidka with her husband Rasťa
I cannot imagine that my husband would not have done all he could at the time. He has always been like that and I have felt safe with him. We have many friends but at that moment I appreciated most that it was him I could turn to for help and support. I never had to ask. I have no doubts he would not leave me alone with the disease…
March
Alena with her son Michal
I did not know how to tell my sons such frightening news. At the time though I could not see any other support and I would not have been able to hide the truth long. They did not doubt for a second that I would pull myself together and fight. They encouraged me and persuaded me that I was strong enough to manage it. With courage I took the first step into the unknown...
April
Hanka with her daughter Lucie
It seemed to me at the time that I had swapped roles with my daughter – she took me to the chemotherapy, made sure I relaxed, and held my hand when we waited together for medical results. I felt helpless, defenceless, and vulnerable and with great relief confessed to her all my pains. She understood me, or at least that is how it seemed and I could slowly and carefully start to return to my adulthood…
May
Ida with her husband Radek
We have gone together through many things – enough of good things for one life, but also days, months and years when I felt like being on a swing – I keep returning to the hospital I return with unbelievable, painful regularity. My husband is with me, accompanying me with devotion and love, full of hope and optimism. When I lose faith, he knows what to do. When I lose strength, he gives me his…
June
Františka with her daughter Hanka
When one keeps entertaining everybody with jokes and stories and then suddenly changes into a bundle of nerves, people around you have little choice: they can either cry with you or let you cry your eyes out and go on smiling as if nothing has happened at all… I was lucky – I found back my smile again with my daughter. It was not instant and it was not painless, however. She simply did not let me stay sad forever in that valley of tears…
July
Zdenka with her son Jirka
It never entered my mind that I would seek help from my children before getting old and helpless. It never entered my mind that together we would go through so much anxiety, that they would bear my pain, hopelessness and fear. When it happened, I hesitated, as probably every mother would – will I hart them if I let them in on my big worry? I was freed from all my worries and very happy when they assisted me so readily and so easily…
August
Marta with her husband Pavel
I have a big and wonderful family and I never really felt lonely. I cannot even imagine feeling that way. However, when I reached the bottom I got caught off guard. As if I were behind a glass wall, as if it all was a dream, as if it was not me… I was getting lost within myself, looking for the shore, looking for stable ground. My husband always hugged me tightly without words. I started to get back to my family again. Back to calm and safe waters…
September
Jitka with her friend Ilona
We are each very different, aren´t we, Ilona? And that is probably why we are friends, which is not unusual. We have known each other for a long time, however it never occurred to me you would do for me so much when I got ill. Almost selfishly I expected help from my family, but your help was an additional big surprise, it is difficult to explain when things suddenly grow to a different dimension, that one gets touched when a friend frequently takes you to concerts or to the movies, and interestingly enough still treats you as a completely normal human being….
October
Jana with her boyfriend Mirek
It was not easy for him at all. When we met, his parents were dying of a pernicious disease. His mother outlived his father by a month. At that time I was the strong one and tried to help him – he seemed to be running out of strength. Then I was diagnosed with the same thing. I wished for only one thing: to leave and lose or fight my battle alone, without help whatsoever. I underestimated him. He stood by me, he knew I needed him. He was simply wiser than me…
November
Jana and her fiancée Wessley
We are in love! We are getting married! Life is beautiful and I will not let pass a single one of those happy days that I look forward to, those I wait for, and those waiting for us. For a moment or two there was almost black overcast. There will be none any more! I have my Love – enormous, real, beautiful, astonishing, the most beautiful! I am not and never will be alone, will I?
December
Marta Vančurová, MUDr. Václav Pecha
When we met for the first time, you told me what to expect and that you had gone through it yourself. –“I am not afraid,” I said, “and when I recover, as you have, I will play a part of Isadora Duncan.”
You looked at me and you said: “You will.”
I have not played Isadora, but I am here. Thank you.
The calendar was produced with the support of Roche Ltd.
Photographs: Valentina Stoytcheva, Patrik Borecký, Adéla Kantůrková
Editing: Jana Drexlerová
English translation: Jitka Wong
Copyright: Mamma HELP 2007