While any breast cancer diagnosis is a shock, this is especially true for young women. Less than 5 percent of breast cancer diagnoses involve women under 40. There are often many unique challenges that a young women faces when battling the disease.

Here are some common issues facing these young women, as well as some possible solutions.

Fertility

Having children and starting a family is something that many young women look forward to. Unfertilized eggs can be frozen and stored, so a young woman can still have a family after completing breast cancer treatment.

Taking Care of Young Children

While it can often be stressful dealing with young children who aren’t fully able to understand the severity of the situation, many cancer patients have their family members and close friends help out with taking care of young kids. It’s also important for the young cancer patient to spend time with the children while she’s feeling well, as spending time with your kids is a rejuvenating, positive experience.

Finding a Support System

There are support groups available that bring young cancer survivors together, allowing them to discuss common issues that they’ve faced. Women who have survived breast cancer are able to give unique advice to young woman who are still undergoing the treatment process.

Hobbies

While support groups are an excellent way to meet people who went through the same experience, many young cancer patients spend time embracing their spiritual beliefs or focusing on hobbies. These activities help lift your spirits and provide a way to get away from negativity for a short period of time.

Body Image

Chemotherapy treatments often change the appearance of the skin, however, doctors are aware of many methods that can improve your skin’s look. Treat yourself kindly when possible; go to a spa treatment or stop by the mall to get that expensive outfit that you’ve always wanted.

Confronting Mortality

Confronting mortality is a difficult task. Many people try a variety of methods, such as focusing on religious or spiritual beliefs, meditating or volunteering, to help find inner peace and a newfound satisfaction with life by helping others and focusing on what they believe is important in life.

Early Menopause

There are many ways to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of early menopause, and these methods also help with other problems, such as lack of energy or weight gain. Drinking a lot of water, exercising and eating healthy are a few methods that work toward reducing hot flashes.

Career Interruptions

Having to resign from a career that you’ve spend years working toward is a challenging experience. Many cancer survivors have stated that quitting their careers allowed them to discover that spending time with their families an other loved ones provides much more joy and satisfaction than climbing the career ladder.