To provide guidance and encouragement to fellow breast cancer survivors, Angela Owens has launched a local support group for those affected by the disease. The group, which began meeting earlier this year, gathers on the first Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Therapy Direct in Stuart.
Owens, recognizing the need for a space where individuals can share their experiences, said the time and location may change depending on the group’s needs. If attendance grows, she is open to finding a larger meeting space.
“We can change the times to meet the needs if we need to do that. If we outgrow that building, we’ll go somewhere else bigger. Right now, that’s just where we’re starting,” she said.
The first meeting, held on Jan. 2, attracted five participants. Owens described the gathering as a relaxed, open discussion where individuals could ask questions and share their experiences.
“It was just people sitting down, talking, and asking questions. I think that’s very helpful,” she said.
To further connect members, Owens plans to create a Facebook group in the future. The meetings are open to anyone affected by breast cancer, regardless of when they were diagnosed.
“There’s no pressure for anyone to speak, but it’s an opportunity to talk about their experiences,” Owens said. “Whether someone was just diagnosed today or has been living with breast cancer for 20 years, it doesn’t matter. Everyone is welcome.”
Owens believes hearing from individuals at different stages of their journey can be beneficial, particularly for those recently diagnosed. She hopes the group will provide reassurance and practical insights, helping members determine what is normal and when to seek medical advice.
“Also to give them hope that it’s not always going to be this tough. Things will get better,” she added.
Owens believes people don’t openly talk about breast cancer as it’s viewed as a private subject.
“I think people don’t talk about it as much, especially for people who have had mastectomies, because that is very private. I think it’s very emotional too and I think that’s another reason that people don’t talk as much,” she said.
A Personal Journey Inspires a Community Effort
Owens understands the emotional and physical challenges of breast cancer firsthand. Her journey began in January 2019 when a colleague at Patrick County High School was diagnosed. That experience motivated her to get her first mammogram, something she had never prioritized before.
“Because of her I got the mobile unit from UVA (University of Virginia) to come to the high school so that we could screen more people more effectively. Because of the time it takes to get off work, and go do it, and all of that stuff,” she said.
A few weeks after getting her mammogram Owens received the results, which indicated there was something abnormal. She then went in to have a biopsy done.
“In May 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. There weren’t a lot of people around that I knew of that had breast cancer for me to talk to, but the few that I knew of helped me tremendously with questions and fears and just understanding all of it,” she said.
Almost four years to the day after she was diagnosed, Owens said her sister Michelle Belcher was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Their shared experience reinforced the need for a space where individuals could connect, ask questions, and support one another.
“I had seen the need for a place where people could just come and talk and ask questions and that kind of thing. But after she was diagnosed the two of us were talking more and more and just how helpful it would be to have a place for other people, newly diagnosed or that’s been through it for a while, to just sit and talk.
“Breast cancer is a journey that never really ends,” Owens said. “There are always side effects, fears, and ongoing challenges. Cancer of any kind changes your life.”
Although statistics show that one in eight women will develop breast cancer, Owens was surprised by the number of individuals in her community affected by the disease. Many, she noted, do not openly discuss their diagnoses.
“It’s like people, I don’t know, want to talk about it, I guess. I guess now just seemed like the time to go ahead and do it,” she said.
Expanding Awareness and Access to Screenings
In addition to leading the support group, Owens hopes to arrange another visit from the UVA mobile mammography unit to Patrick County. The unit provides critical access to screenings, particularly for those with limited time or resources to schedule traditional appointments.
“They are more than willing to, you just got to have somebody to request it. I would love to be able to get them to come back again as it does make it very easy for people to be able to get screened,” she said.
Owens credits her own early diagnosis to the mobile unit’s visit. Because her tumor was positioned against her chest wall, it was undetectable by touch. Without a mammogram, she believes her cancer would have progressed to a much more difficult—if not untreatable—stage.
“Because mine was up against my chest wall and you couldn’t feel it. So, mammograms definitely save lives,” Owens said.
For those interested in joining the breast cancer support group, Owens can be reached via Facebook Messenger or by email at owens2125@msn.com.
