Health professionals in the morning who discussed screening, psychology, adjuvant treatments, sexuality, intimate and emotional quality of life… And patients invited in the afternoon to discover the workshops offered by the Sage Network which, for three years, has been installed in the Urbain V clinic, in Avignon.
Since October 2021, the Sage Network has supported women who have or have had breast cancer in order to facilitate their journey, from diagnosis to post-treatment. Fanny Chabaud is the new coordinator and promotes the various workshops: coaching, sophrology, dietetics, sleep, shiatsu, yoga, sexology, massage… “Patients really like being massagedshe said, this is the workshop that I complete the most easily“, notes Fanny, smiling and encouraging.
Help them have confidence in the future
The principle? A free session for patients who request it, before other appointments, this time paying. The idea is to help patients suffering from breast cancer or in remission (and even cured too) to cope with the heavy treatments and the psychological suffering induced. To also help them have confidence in the future.
“It’s complicated, there are operations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy… But we’re getting there!“Here, we encourage each other, we share, we see ahead. And we set off for a new life, like this former patient, Maria, who, after the illness, created the association Les Étoiles pétillantes for people who have gone through or going through cancer Together, we are stronger, and that’s it.
The Roses of the South will cycle against breast cancer next year
“Les Roses du Sud” is the idea of Hélène Girardin-Josquin, physiotherapist and passionate cyclist. “Cycling is happiness“, says this activist for soft mobility who takes care of women who have had breast cancer all year round, as part of her job. Massage of the scar(s) and lymphatic drainage are, for example, essential steps. after a mastectomy; as for exercise retraining, which Hélène Girardin-Josquin also offers, it is often highly recommended.
And it will take a bit of training for the participants who will be selected to cycle, in October 2025, against breast cancer. They will be Les Roses du Sud and will set off on a 250 km cycling journey departing from Cavaillon. Then head towards the sea, to Sète, via Avignon, Pont du Gard, Arles, Aigues-Mortes and Palavas-les-Flots. Hélène Giradin-Josquin is at the origin of this project, inspired by a short film seen in Cavaillon, produced for the “À la mer à vélo” project of the 4S association, from Chambéry. The idea: to get patients suffering from breast cancer (or in remission) back into the saddle.
So Hélène also started and will take with her, for six days of cycling, twenty female volunteers as well as ten supervisors, between September 28 and October 4, 2025. With Sage, she is looking for sponsors, help financial (36,000 € are necessary) and candidates for this project. The call is made.
