When someone you love is diagnosed with breast cancer, your world changes too. You may feel frightened, helpless, and unsure of what to say or do. You want to be strong for her — but who is there to support you?
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization recognizes that breast cancer affects entire families, not just the person diagnosed. That is why we created the Men’s & Partner’s Match Program — a free, confidential peer support service designed specifically for the people standing beside someone with breast cancer.
Who Is This Program For?
This program is open to anyone who is supporting a woman through a breast cancer diagnosis — including:
- Husbands and male partners
- Same-sex partners and spouses
- Fathers and sons
- Brothers and male friends
- Daughters and female friends supporting a loved one
- Anyone in a caregiving or support role who needs guidance
You do not need to be in crisis to call. Whether you are newly navigating a diagnosis, struggling in the middle of treatment, or trying to find your footing after treatment ends, this program meets you wherever you are.
What the Program Offers
The Men’s & Partner’s Match Program connects you with a trained volunteer who has personally walked the same path — someone who supported their own wife, partner, mother, daughter, or close friend through breast cancer. This is not a medical hotline and volunteers do not give medical advice. What they offer is something equally valuable: lived experience, genuine understanding, and the knowledge that you are not alone.
Through this program you can:
- Talk openly about your fears, frustrations, and feelings with someone who truly understands
- Get practical guidance on how to be supportive without feeling overwhelmed
- Learn how to communicate with your loved one during one of the most difficult times of her life
- Find out how other partners and family members have coped with the emotional and practical demands of supporting someone through treatment
- Ask questions you may feel uncomfortable asking anyone else
- Receive information and resources to help you navigate the journey ahead
Common Concerns Partners and Family Members Share
You are not alone in what you are feeling. Partners and family members who call our program often share concerns such as:
- “I don’t know what to say — I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing.”
- “She pushes me away when I try to help. How do I support someone who won’t let me in?”
- “I’m terrified, but I feel like I have to stay strong and hide it.”
- “How do I talk to our children about what is happening?”
- “Our relationship and intimacy have changed completely. Is that normal?”
- “I feel guilty for struggling — after all, she’s the one with cancer.”
- “I don’t know how to handle her emotions and my own at the same time.”
These are real, valid feelings — and they deserve real support. A Men’s & Partner’s Match volunteer has likely felt exactly the same way and can speak to these experiences honestly and without judgment.
How to Get Matched
Getting connected is simple and completely free:
- Call the Y-ME 24-Hour National Breast Cancer Hotline at 1-800-221-2141 (English) or 1-800-986-9505 (Spanish) at any time — day or night.
- Tell the peer counselor that you would like to speak with a Men’s & Partner’s Match Program volunteer.
- The counselor will ask you a few brief questions — about your situation, your concerns, and what kind of support would be most helpful — in order to find the best possible match for you.
- You will receive a phone call from a matched volunteer within 24 hours.
All calls are confidential. There is no cost, no appointment needed, and no obligation to continue beyond a single conversation if you prefer.
You Are Allowed to Need Support Too
Many partners and family members feel that their own needs don’t matter — that they must stay focused entirely on the person with cancer. But research consistently shows that caregivers and support partners who receive emotional support are better able to provide it. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is one of the most important things you can do for the person you love.
Psychological studies have found that partners of women with breast cancer often experience the same levels of emotional distress as the patients themselves — yet they are far less likely to seek help. This program exists to change that.
Recommended Reading
Y-ME recommends the following resource for anyone supporting a loved one through breast cancer:
- When the Woman You Love Has Breast Cancer — A compassionate, practical guide written specifically for partners, husbands, and family members navigating a loved one’s diagnosis. It covers how to communicate, how to cope emotionally, how to handle changes in intimacy and relationships, and how to find support for yourself throughout the process.
Additional resources, brochures, and information for family members and caregivers are available free of charge through Y-ME. Call our hotline or visit our resource library for more.
You are doing something remarkable by standing beside someone through breast cancer. Let us stand beside you.