Faith in the Waiting Room: Catholic Women, Breast Cancer and the Ministry of Showing Up

Denise Scott describes how she learned to support friends facing breast cancer through the importance of being present during difficult times.

Writing for the Diocese of Port of Spain, Scott reflects on a past experience where she hesitated to reach out to a friend she believed had cancer. Because she feared intruding on her friend's privacy, she did not initiate a conversation, only learning of the illness after the friend had died.

Scott shares how a subsequent experience with another friend changed her approach. When a friend sent a text message stating she was undergoing her second breast removal, Scott responded by saying she was coming to the hospital. This experience taught her to prioritize showing up for others facing life-changing health challenges.