🌟 July 2026 Radiation Roll Call — Come On In For Support and Info🌟
If radiation therapy is part of your treatment plan this July, we'd love for you to join us here. ☀️
Whether you're preparing for your first session, settling into the daily routine, or counting down your final treatments, this thread is a place to connect with people who understand what you're experiencing.
Radiation often becomes part of everyday life for several weeks, bringing questions, routines, challenges, milestones, and plenty of emotions along the way. Whether you're feeling hopeful, nervous, tired, determined, or somewhere in between, you're welcome here.
✨ Introduce Yourself
Say hello, share your start date, tell us where you are in treatment, or simply post, "I'm here."
Then keep coming back.
Many members find these monthly Radiation Roll Calls become a place to share their journey—from the first planning appointment through the last treatment and into recovery. We'd love for this thread to be a place where you can check in, ask questions, celebrate milestones, and receive support throughout the month.
💬 Check In Throughout Your Journey
This thread isn't just for your first post—we hope you'll return often.
Share updates like:
- How you're preparing for treatment
- How your appointments are going
- Questions about what to expect
- Skin changes, fatigue, or other side effects you're experiencing
- Tips, routines, and little discoveries that are helping
- Milestones along the way
- Difficult days when you could use some extra encouragement
Even a short update lets everyone know how you're doing and gives others the opportunity to support you.
💛 Every Update Matters
Someone may be reading quietly today, wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same thing.
When you share your story, you help someone else feel less alone. When you reply to another member, you remind them that they have people cheering them on.
This community grows stronger with every question, every update, every milestone, and every kind word.
🌸 Already Started—or Finished Radiation?
We'd love to hear from you, too.
The experiences you've gained—whether practical advice, encouragement, or simply sharing what helped you through the daily routine—can make a meaningful difference to someone just beginning treatment.
Sometimes hearing, "I remember that stage," can bring a great deal of comfort.
✨ Easy Ways to Join In
- Share your radiation start date or treatment schedule
- Introduce yourself
- Post updates as treatment continues
- Ask questions—no matter how small
- Share tips that have helped you
- Encourage another member
- Stop back in anytime you have news or simply need support
There's no such thing as posting too often—we'd love to hear how you're doing.
🌟 One Session at a Time
We'll take this together—one appointment, one week, one milestone at a time.
We'll be here to celebrate your progress, offer encouragement on the harder days, and cheer you on until you ring that final bell—or reach whatever milestone marks the end of treatment for you.
📌 Helpful Resources
- Our List of What to Do / Get / Pack to Prepare for Radiation Therapy
- The Radiation Therapy section of our site for information about treatment, side effects, preparation, and recovery
🤝 Looking for More Support?
Our Virtual Support Groups are here before, during, and after treatment.
One Last Thing
You don't need the perfect words—or even a long update—to participate.
If you've been following along and wondering whether to post, consider this your invitation.
Whether you're waiting for your first appointment, halfway through treatment, celebrating your final session, or adjusting to life after radiation, there's a place for you here.
We hope you'll check in often, share your journey as it unfolds, and support others along the way. Together, we'll get through treatment—one session, one week, and one milestone at a time.
🌟
— The Mods
Comments
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Just finished and rang the bell today! Anyone else have a delayed crying episode after it seems to be all done?
I find my emotions have gone off the rail tonight. Relief and the what now is a bit ovetwhelming.
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@jane.e.taylor75 Congratulations! I'm really happy for you - and the crying make sense. I feel like we're all in survival mode, and this is an all-encompassing journey. It probably is quite overwhelming now that you've reached the other side. Hugs to you.
I'm just starting radiation this month. I have to go in for my initial run through and treatment schedule on the 13th. I'm a bit nervous because I have very sensitive, fair skin and I'm already exhausted. I'm looking forward to the day when I get to ring the bell.
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Congratulations Jane.e.taylor75!!
canijustbemary - I had my appt for the setup and run through but my RO wants me to see my surgeon (July 8) again before actually starting radiation. I saw the PA for my post op. I’m nervous, too, but anxious to get it started. I’m not looking forward to the daily trips to the hospital through downtown traffic. I’ve also been exhausted on and off since the surgery which felt minor at the time-lumpectomy and 4 sentinel nodes and pretty easy, quick healing. I have insomnia so I’m used to being tired but there are days when the exhaustion just feels like I’ve hit a brick wall. If I feel like this now, what’s it going to be like when I actually start treatment?
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@jane.e.taylor75 congratulations!!!
@canijustbemary ,It's understandable to be feeling nervous while you're waiting to get started. The waiting can be one of the hardest parts.
Many people are surprised by how much fatigue they feel after a lumpectomy, even when the surgery itself seems relatively minor. Healing takes energy, and it's not unusual for that "brick wall" exhaustion to come and go.
Hopefully, others who have been through radiation will share how their energy changed during treatment and what helped them manage it. Wishing you all the best for your appointment with your surgeon on July 8. 💗
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hello. I have hormone positive HER2 negative invasive . I just had a lumpectomy on June 23 and have good clear margins and no lymph node involvement. The doctors are pushing me to do proton radiation. I have a great number of comorbidities and I am not sure that what I will gain is worth the risk of going through the radiation. The minimize the risks because they’re trying to convince me to go forward, but I am very uncomfortable about the notion since I already have 31% working lungs and 31% working hard. The rest are already dead from fibrotic issues. So any radiation will only potentially compromise that. I would love to learn from the women who have already gone through these things. Thank you in advance for sharing your stories.
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my radiation oncologist says that by doing the radiation I will reduce the recurrence risk of 20% to about 3%. If there is a recurrence risk of 20% following the lumpectomy that means there is an 80% chance of absolutely nothing going wrong. But there is definitely a risk associated with radiation so I don’t know how to calculate whether or not it’s worth it to do the radiation. I think I would rather take the chance and not do it. I’m so confused.
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My appt with the surgeon went well and she said everything has healed well. I finally got the call yesterday that radiation will start on Tuesday the 14th. I am ready to get this started and having an actual date has helped.
The exhaustion definitely comes and goes. I seem to have 2 total exhaustion days followed by maybe 1 or 2 good days. I was able to mow today so I figure the brick wall will hit again tomorrow. I’m still amazed at how this surgery has hit me compared to surgeries I’ve had in the past. It helps to know that it’s not unusual.
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Had my 3rd session today and the treatments are no big deal but the travel back and forth is tiring. I’ve been using the lotion religiously and no skin SE so far. I was, of all things, working on a jigsaw puzzle today and my shoulder felt “tired”. I’m assuming this is from the radiation since it’s never happened before. Not debilitating but definitely different. I’ve been doing the exercises and will do them more often. The fatigue also seemed to hit all of a sudden after dinner tonight. I’m seeing a PT next week for the fatigue. Hoping she will have some suggestions.
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Congratulation, how long did you take treatment?
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16 days. :)
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I had a double mastectomy 14 years ago and I had been taking Tamoxifen for 12 of those years but had to stop 2 years ago because my uterus was thickening. Well, I had a recurrence of the same cancer and had a lumpectomy July 1st and now my surgeon and oncologist want me to have radiation and aromatase inhibiters. I talked to a radiologist today and she wants to radiate the whole breast with the implants included. I am very frightened that this will lead to a very painful and uncomfortable outcome. Can anyone help me decide if the radiation will be worth the side effoects?
radiation is worth
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Hi @jakeboy and welcome to Breastcancer.org.
We're so very sorry to hear of your recurrence and your need to travel down this path once again. We're all here for you!
Here's some information you might find helpful about Radiation and Breast Reconstruction:
Also, we'd encourage you to post a new discussion in the Breast Reconstruction forum so you can get more insight on how others have been affected.
Let us know if you need more help and we look forward to supporting you!
—The Mods
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Hi, I’m starting my 15 session whole breast radiation next week. I am a little nervous. Fortunately, my recovery from my lumpectomy has been good and I didn’t experience too many issues. I will be in prone position and will not need any treatment on lymph nodes. Anyone have experience with prone position and felt claustrophobic or have any recommendations on how to prevent or manage skin reactions or fatigue? Thank you!
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fhh225 - I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node involvement and will be halfway through my 20 sessions on Monday. I’m not in a prone position, but I am claustrophobic. The “arms” ( not sure how else to describe them) come close, but I haven’t been bothered by it. My treatments are very quick; from the time I leave my husband and daughter in the hallway to coming back out is only about 10 minutes. I’ve been fortunate to not have to wait long at all once I’m in the dressing/waiting room. I think most RO have their preferred treatments for skin. I use Miaderm soap to shower and then Miaderm cream 3 times a day plus castor oil at night. I’ve applied it religiously every day. So far my only skin reaction is a slight rash on my chest. I don’t know if it will worsen with more treatments. I have had issues with fatigue since right after my surgery and met with the PT and nutritionist that my RO recommended so have a plan going forward. Hopefully this will help with the fatigue.. Will you be taking any medications when the radiation is finished?
I’ll be praying for few SE and good results for your treatment.
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Hi l1ttlec,
Thank you for your response and kind support! I finished session #5 of 15 today. So far, no skin reaction or any noticeable side effects, but I understand it’s still a little early and it is cumulative. I am using calendula cream that was recommended by my dr. I have been feeling some mild to moderate claustrophobia while laying in prone position but only when they’ve taken 30-40 mins to get my position and alignment right. It’s gotten shorter in length just recently so I’m hoping they’ve figured it out. My treatment plan does include tamoxifen in Sept/Oct so I’m mentally bracing myself for that phase. That is probably the most challenging step for me as I’m very anxious about side effects. Do you plan to take any meds for treatment? Hope the rest of your radiation treatment went smoothly and that you’re still experiencing mild skin reactions.
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Hi fhh225,
I’m so glad to hear you’ve been able to deal with the claustrophobia and that you haven’t had any skin reactions. 🙏 My rash has gotten worse and is also itchy. My RO prescribed a lotion for the itch which helps. I only have 5 more treatments which will be the boost. I’m hoping it won’t make the rash worse. My treatment plan is to start taking Letrozole along with Kisqali on the 17th. I’m anxious about the side effects of that as well. How long will you have to take the tamoxifen? The worst thing for me so far has been the daily trips to the hospital which take longer than the treatment itself. My daughter has insisted on taking my husband and myself to every treatment because she knows back ways in case there’s traffic. I’m really blessed. I will definitely be happy to have those trips over with.
Take care and let me know how you’re doing. 🙏
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Hi l1ttlec,
I hope the end of your radiation treatment and recovery are going smoothly. I know an itchy skin reaction can be very uncomfortable. I hope the cream helps!
I’m counting down to my final 3 sessions. I’m relieved it’s coming to an end but I’m starting to experience skin reactions. It’s mild as of now, just darkening/sunburn skin, but I expect it to worsen before getting better over the next couple of weeks.I’m meeting with my oncologist in a couple of weeks. I believe I’ll need to take hormone therapy for at least 5 years. I’ll start with tamoxifen and possibly transition to an AI. Best of luck with starting Letrozole and Kisqali. I understand feeling nervous about it. I hope you get the hang of it and the side effects are minimal. Please take care and feel free to update.
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fhh225,
Thanks for posting. I had my last treatment on Monday! 🙏 Just the fact that I don’t have to get up and go anywhere is such a relief. Finally getting some more ambition and motivation to get some things done around the house. I’m going to PT once a week for the fatigue and I do think it’s helping. Also the rash is slowly getting better so that helps. My RO wants me to continue with the creams for 2 more weeks. I’m supposed to take the Letrozole for 5 years and the Kisqali for 3. The Kisqali is so expensive!
So glad you’re counting down! Here’s hoping that your skin reaction won’t get worse.
My kids and I are actually doing a 5K breast cancer fund raiser on Saturday. My son is bringing his wife and almost 2-year old daughter and my daughter is bringing her 1-years old daughter. Her husband and their 7-year old daughter were going to come, too, but she has her first cheerleading for a football game at the same time. The weather here has been so hot and humid and is supposed to continue through Saturday along with rain. I’ve never done anything like this and we definitely won’t be running. Wish us luck!
Take care and let me know how you’re doing.1
