Expert shares advice on finding self esteem after surviving breast cancer

ByStacey Sager WABC logo

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Tips on finding self esteem after surviving breast cancer

Stacey Sager reports on the advice to help women regain their confidence.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- After surviving breast cancer, some women may find another journey daunting: dating.

Survivor Felicia Biscardi said she is ready to feel normal again.

For the 56-year-old, normal means getting out there again socially - but the pandemic has made that difficult.

Last December she had a bilateral mastectomy, and two weeks later, her mom went through breast cancer as well.

For every survivor the journey is different. For some, it's all about good reconstruction, for others, it's about exercise and emotional support.

But when you are ready - experts have a bit of advice for dating.

"The only mistake that we make, is to tell someone on the first date, that's too soon," said Maureen Tara Nelson with MTN Matchmaking.

Nelson, a certified dating coach who has helped more than 100 breast cancer survivors, speaks from the heart since she too is a survivor, and had a bilateral mastectomy herself seven years ago.

"So, best time to tell a man that you've had breast cancer and you're a survivor is when you're ready to take it to the next level, and at that point, you've developed trust, friendship and love," Nelson said.

And perhaps a little bravery is required in your downtime.

"It might mean looking at yourself naked a lot," Nelson said. "It might mean wearing sexy lingerie."

As for Biscardi, she's testing the waters

"So far it's good, I'm not a serial dater or anything I'm just, I did meet somebody that I'm really friendly with now, and just getting out there a little bit," she said.

Meanwhile Nelson is offering free dating advice for the rest of Breast Cancer Awareness month to any survivor in New York state or to someone who has lost someone to breast cancer which can also make the dating world new and frightening again.