5 Free iOS Apps Every Breast Cancer Patient Should Download

So, you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, when you can finally speak, help from your husband and your breast cancer specialist can hardly be overestimated. But your doctor has dozens of other urgent patients and your husby still has to pick up groceries and kids from school, right? If you don’t want to load them with your fears and tears, these five free iOS apps in your pocket will become your faithful listeners and 24/7 advice-givers. Before you go to bed, during your lunch break, and while you can’t concentrate on reading your book.

1. Body XQ

They say, we are afraid of what we don’t understand. This visual aid couldn’t be more self-explanatory. Body XQ (excursion) brings you back to your biology class and shows you a 3D model tumor. You can and learn more about growth and death of cells as well as a formation of new blood vessels. Every visual piece goes with a detailed explanation of what is happening where and why. You can choose your language from 10 different options and take a virtual journey through the billions of cells.

2. Drug Formulary

Your doctor’s visits can be just too short to ask all the questions you have. So the Ontario-based team has designed an app called Drug Formulary which is basically an all-under-one-roof drug ABC. Whether your cancer care specialist has prescribed you cyclophosphamide, Docetaxel, or epirubicin, go to Drug Formulary, choose Breast cancer, click Drugs, and type in the name of the drug to see a 5-page sheet with the medical information you need. You can also learn how to manage your fatigue/skin reaction/anemia and the way your medication affects your sex life and breastfeeding.

3. Pearl Point

Are you suffering from dry mouth, hair loss, and fatigue after being on chemo? Pearl Point is a must-have if you experience any type of side effect offering specific steps to minimize the discomfort. So, if experience nausea, opt for smell-free food (i.e. oatmeal, fruit, etc.), stick to ginger, and avoid drinks during meals. Also, chemo may result in the loss of appetite. If this is the case, Pearl Point recommends eating 5-6 small meals a day, having a bite before going to bed, and drinking liquids between meals to boost the nutrition value while you eat.

4. Beyond the Shock

This is one of those apps you instantly want to have on your home screen and reopen it again and again. Beyond the Shock offers three sections for you to choose from. In Learn you can watch 7 short videos about breast anatomy, damaged DNA, and what your treatment plan should be based on. In Ask you can ask your own questions about your chemo drugs and side effects and browse questions and answers of other community members. With Hear section you can watch videos about real breast cancer survivors and hear them speak.

5. myBCTeam

myBCTeam is a social network for women with breast cancer. Because of the intimate atmosphere of the app, many community members simply call it a family. With myBCTeam you can learn from other women of your age with breast cancer about available treatment options, how they deal with hair loss, and what breast implants they use after mastectomy. (Mastectomy is a surgical removal of one of both breasts and is usually carried out to prevent the tumor from spreading further).

Whichever app seems right to use, we strongly recommend talking to your doctor first. For those on a tight budget, affordable breast cancer treatment in Spain (Barcelona) or Turkey (Istanbul), can be a good option to consider.