Paloma, 35, on breast cancer treatment and life in Monaco
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
A 35 year old patient treated in Monaco for 20 months describes the toll of breast cancer during Octobre Rose awareness month.
Paloma has been undergoing breast cancer treatment in Monaco for the past 20 months. As Octobre Rose, the annual breast cancer awareness campaign, draws attention to screening and support across the Principality, she agreed to speak about what the illness has meant for her at 35.
She describes the hardest part not as the physical treatment but the sense of being attacked on her femininity, a feeling many younger patients struggle to put into words. Throughout her treatment she has regularly visited Écoute Cancer Réconfort, the Monegasque association that offers support and a listening ear to patients and their families.
Her testimony comes as local health services and associations use October to encourage women to take screening seriously, regardless of age. For residents navigating a diagnosis in Monaco, Paloma's experience is a reminder that support networks such as Écoute Cancer Réconfort exist close to home, offering a space to talk openly about an illness that affects identity as much as health.