Back to September 2008: Fertility and Pregnancy
Infertility risk affecting dating?
- Question from Madison: I'm single, have breast cancer, and am taking tamoxifen. It is difficult in the dating scene to tell them that you not only have breast cancer, but may also not be able to have kids. I really don't have money to go to a therapist, but am having a difficult time being brave enough to talk to single men.
- Answer —Leslie Schover, Ph.D.: This is a very normal and common concern that single women have after breast cancer. It might help to join an online support group: for example, organizations like The Wellness Community or Cancer Care have either telephone or online support groups where you can share your feelings with other women like you. You also may want to look at web sites like Breastcancer.org or the Young Survival Coalition, an organization just for younger breast cancer survivors. There you can find information and stories from other women like you. There also are now a couple of online dating sites just for cancer survivors. One of them is called C is for Cupid. I would not say that you should only date people who have had cancer, but it is a good way to practice talking to some single guys who are likely to be very understanding of what you've gone through. The more you practice, the more comfortable you may feel in other dating situations.