When you\u2019re dealing with cancer, it\u2019s not just your body that\u2019s affected. Your mind goes through a lot, too. You might feel scared, angry, overwhelmed or sad. Maybe you\u2019re worried about your treatment, your family or what the future holds. These feelings are valid and normal and you\u2019re not alone in having them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Air Force Veteran Jaime Hailey, these emotions became all too familiar when she received a breast cancer diagnosis in early 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a whirlwind,\u201d Hailey recalled of the countless appointments, surgeries and treatments that followed her diagnosis. During this overwhelming time, she found solace in an unexpected place: VA\u2019s Breast and Gynecologic Oncology System of Excellence<\/a> virtual peer support group.<\/p>\n Picture above, Jaime Hailey while stationed in Italy.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the challenges of surgery and treatment, the peer support program became a place where she felt understood. \u201cAt first I didn\u2019t even know what I needed. But the consistency of the group helped. I realized I wasn\u2019t alone and that others needed me, too,\u201d she shared.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n The power of peer support in cancer treatment cannot be overstated. When Veterans connect with others who understand their unique experiences, something remarkable happens. These connections can help address both the physical and emotional challenges of cancer treatment, creating a support system that complements medical care.<\/p>\n Peer support groups often become tight-knit communities where Veterans can share experiences, discuss treatment-related concerns and even exchange practical tips like healthy recipes or coping strategies. The conversations might range from managing treatment anxiety to finding moments of joy in everyday activities. These connections remind Veterans that they\u2019re not alone in their journey.<\/p>\n Hailey recommends participation in peer support to her fellow Veterans facing similar circumstances, stressing that you can both give and receive support through this community. \u201cIt\u2019s beneficial on both ends of the spectrum,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Learn more about\u00a0VA cancer care<\/a> and the breast cancer care options available at VA.\u00a0<\/p>\nHailey\u2019s story: \u201cI wasn\u2019t alone\u201d<\/h2>\n
![<\/a>Jaime Hailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWith the challenges of surgery and treatment, the peer support program became a place where she felt understood. \u201cAt first I didn\u2019t even know what I needed. But the consistency of the group helped. I realized I wasn\u2019t alone and that others needed me, too,\u201d she shared.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\nThe power of peer support in cancer treatment cannot be overstated. When Veterans connect with others who understand their unique experiences, something remarkable happens. These connections can help address both the physical and emotional challenges of cancer treatment, creating a support system that complements medical care.<\/p>\nPeer support groups often become tight-knit communities where Veterans can share experiences, discuss treatment-related concerns and even exchange practical tips like healthy recipes or coping strategies. The conversations might range from managing treatment anxiety to finding moments of joy in everyday activities. These connections remind Veterans that they\u2019re not alone in their journey.<\/p>\nHailey recommends participation in peer support to her fellow Veterans facing similar circumstances, stressing that you can both give and receive support through this community. \u201cIt\u2019s beneficial on both ends of the spectrum,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\nLearn more about\u00a0VA cancer care<\/a> and the breast cancer care options available at VA.\u00a0<\/p>\nVisit\u00a0My HealtheVet<\/a>\u00a0to speak with your health care team about the peer support available at your local facility.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0If you\u2019re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24\/7 confidential support. You don\u2019t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders,\u202fDial 988 then Press 1<\/a>, chat online at\u202fVeteransCrisisLine.net\/Chat, or text\u202f838255.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you\u2019re dealing with cancer, it\u2019s not just your body that\u2019s affected. Your mind goes through a lot, too. You might feel scared, angry, overwhelmed or sad. Maybe you\u2019re worried about your treatment, your family or what the future holds. These feelings are valid and normal and you\u2019re not alone in having them.\u00a0 For Air […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":385232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-385230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancer","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=385230"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":385233,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385230\/revisions\/385233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/385232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=385230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=385230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=385230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}](\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Jaime-Hailey-Civilian_r1.jpg\"){kind=link}