Managing a Breast Cancer Crisis Through Innovation, Community Engagement, and the Expansion of Fisheries Management Education Programs

Abstract

Cancer is a health crisis that has long been plaguing the United States and the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, with nearly 2 million new cases diagnosed in 2018. In the U.S. alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2020, there will be 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 48,530 deaths from the disease. As a result, breast cancer is a global crisis. Globally, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women, with an estimated 627,000 deaths in 2018. This chapter will discuss the prevalence of trauma and PTSD among cancer patients and survivors, and the risk factors associated with its development. Additionally, the chapter will discuss the psychological impact of trauma and PTSD on cancer survivors, and the interventions that are available to help manage these issues through a fly-fishing support group for female breast cancer survivors that can be offered as community education programs from state fisheries.