PORTLAND, Maine — Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time to celebrate survivors, remember those lost, and show support to those currently fighting this life-altering battle.
Among the countless breast cancer survivors, there's a special group of young women who often feel like they're navigating uncharted waters in this journey. For them, support groups can be a lifeline.
Tatas and Tapas, a unique support group founded by Marce Lamontange, is providing invaluable companionship and support to young breast cancer warriors.
Lamontange understands the isolation that can come with being a young breast cancer patient.
"I didn't know anyone else my age who had been diagnosed," she said.
In response to this loneliness, she took to Facebook and created the Tatas and Tapas support group.
Linda Townsend, one of the group members, said, "I had met them online. Then Marce had a get-together at her house. I said, 'I got to go. I got to meet these people in person. They understand.'"
This in-person connection is a vital aspect of the group, as it offers a level of comfort and understanding that's hard to find elsewhere.
Every month, women in the group, each at different stages of their breast cancer treatments, gather at each other's homes.
It's not just a place to share experiences. It's a safe haven to talk, listen, and be there for each other.
Lamontage said, "We don't sit around in a circle and tell our journeys. We just kind of have multiple conversations going on."
This approach allows for a natural and supportive environment, where participants can share their thoughts, fears, and triumphs with friends who truly understand.
The bond among these women goes beyond mere words.
As Shawna Ackley, another group member, puts it, "I feel that cancer picked me to help other people through this process."
Ackley extends her support by helping others in the group navigate the often overwhelming world of financial aid, grants, and other resources available to cancer patients.
"I would hear from Linda like, 'Guess what, I got this amount of money.' And it felt so good for me. Like, me sharing is making a difference in someone else's family," Ackley said.
At Wednesday's group, the group said goodbye to Linda, one of their beloved members.
While it was a tearful goodbye, it was also a celebration of new beginnings.
Linda is moving to Tennessee, but the bonds of sisterhood forged in Tatas and Tapas remain unbroken.
"I always know when I come here, it's like coming home. We are family. We are together no matter what. Even if I am moving to Tennessee, this is still my family," Linda shares.
Lamontage, the group's founder, reflected on Linda's departure,
"It's going to be different not having her at the meet-ups, but she will be here in our hearts," she said.
In the spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let Tatas and Tapas be a reminder that in-person support groups can make all the difference in a young breast cancer patient's journey.
These women are not fighting cancer alone. They're fighting it together.