#TogetherBeyondThePink
To this day, breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women. There are many different subtypes of breast cancer. Each person’s journey is unique and no patient story is the same. During Pink October, we hear the voice of patients who share their experience living with this disease. However, it is also important to pay attention to the caregivers and relatives, who provide support to these patients on a daily basis.
In 2020, 2.3 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide.
1 in 5 breast cancers are diagnosed before the age of 50. Although more frequent after age 50, breast cancer can also occur in younger patients.
About 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.
Although most breast cancer cases occur in women, it can also occur in men (around 1% of cases).
In most cases, breast cancer is asymptomatic. Regular self-examination and mammography are essential.
Check with your doctor if you are eligible and get information about screening.
Understanding the impact of cancer is important to better cope with it as a patient, but also as a close one. Being diagnosed with breast cancer brings a whirlwind of emotions and you may feel overwhelmed as you look for resources that address your unanswered questions.
Throughout the #TogetherBeyondThePink initiative, you will find the testimonies of collaborators of the Pierre Fabre Group who accepted to share their experiences with us and to voice the messages of those affected by this disease. These voices are the ones of Séverine, Marie-Jeanne, Isabelle, Aline, Roseline, Eva, Audrey, Céline, Myriam, Marine and Margaux.
We know them as collaborators of the Pierre Fabre Group, we discover them with a fighting spirit, courage, and in the intimacy of their stories and personal experiences. We thank for opening up and for finding the strength to reveal the hidden realities of those affected directly or indirectly by breast cancer.
Finally, we would also like to thank Delphine Rémy, a breast cancer patient and social media influencer, and also her husband Didier, who have accepted to share their testimony on how this disease changed their lives and also how they found support in each other to face this situation.
Signs that should alert
women and men:
- A lump in the breast
- Change in the size or shape of the breast
- Dimpling of the skin or thickening in the breast tissue
- An inverted nipple
- Rash on the nipple
- Discharge from the nipple
- Swelling or a lump in the armpit
- Pain or discomfort in the breast that doesn’t go away
- Skin redness
- Skin thickening
It is important to remember that these symptoms may also be caused by other conditions. Check with your doctor if you notice any change.
The impact on the patient
How each individual copes with their diagnosis and treatment varies from person to person. Each person’s journey is unique, and no patient story is the same. Different cancers, different treatments, different characters, different family situations: even if experiences can be similar, each one remains singular.
ROSELINE
Pierre Fabre collaborator and
breast cancer patient
The impact on the caregiver
Caring for a loved one with cancer can be overwhelming and you may experience many different feelings. Understanding the potential changes in the way you relate to specific family members and friends may help you take steps to grow and maintain healthy, mutually supportive relationships during this challenging time.
DELPHINE / DIDIER
Breast Cancer Patient and her husband
4 ways to support your loved
one with breast cancer
Discover here our guide with tips for patients and caregivers
Are you a patient or a caregiver? This brochure was made to provide support to you as a person diagnosed with breast cancer or to you, as a person who wants to help a loved one living with this disease.
You will find :- Tips to support patients & caregivers
- Testimonies from patients & caregivers
- General information on breast cancer
- Additional resources for more information
Support from healthcare team and patient associations
Patients are eager to evolve in a medical environment where the various professionals they consult communicate with each other. This complementary approach to care is a reassuring safe space. As a healthcare team or patient association, you are in contact with people affected by breast cancer, at various stages of the treatment process. Thus, it is important to support both the patients and their loved ones throughout their journey.
PROF. GiLLES FREYER
Director of the Cancer Institute of the Civil Hospices - Lyon, France
DOMiNiQUE DEBIAIS
Former Vice-President Europa Donna France
Show your support on
social media
Use our Instagram filter to spread the message and show your support on the journey of those affected by breast cancer.
TOGETHER we go BEYOND!
They listened to me, we have a medicine department that is really top notch! It went really well with colleagues, everyone was kind.
When I returned to work, I felt reassured thanks to the relationship I had with the Pierre Fabre social worker.
There was an adjustment in my assignment and there was no pressure to come back to work, it was up to me to decide when I was ready.
Pierre Fabre’s commitments
According to studies conducted in France by Ligue-cancer and Cancer@Work, 1 out of 3 people lose or leave their job within two years of a cancer diagnosis. More than ever, professional reintegration and quality of life in the workplace must be the focus of social debate in companies of all sizes. According to 77% of working people, preserving social ties not only strenghtens the cohesion and commitment of teams, but also reduces the impact of the disease.
At Pierre Fabre, we have been signing a Social Commitment and Responsibility Agreement for over 30 years. We have established a framework: because we should not have to choose between care or maintaining our standard of living, nor should we have to endure a difficult return when going back to the workplace.
Our Pierre Fabre vision
Together, we can go BEYOND to stand against breast cancer!
Dr Deborah SZAFIR
Head of Corporate Medical & Patient/Consumer Division, Pierre Fabre
1.
As soon as a sick leave exceeds one month , the Group’s Social Affairs Managers make themselves available to the collaborator by notifying her or him by mail.
2.
This is followed by an individualized support of the collaborator , whether the illness is temporary or permanent, visible or invisible. Discussions can take place by telephone or directly at the collaborator’s home.
3.
The Group’s insurance policy ensures that the collaborator’s net salary is maintained at 100% for the duration of the illness, up to 3 years.
4.
When the time comes for the collaborator to return to work , he or she is strongly encouraged to make a pre-reinstatement visit with the occupational physician.
5.
This visit feeds into the actions of the Employability Unit, made up of an occupational physician, a Social Affairs Manager and a member of Human Resources. The collaborator's wishes, job adaptation, possible reclassification: all issues related to the return to the workplace under optimal conditions are tackled.