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“Fight, live, keep smiling” the first Italian blog about metastatic breast cancer

A semantic analysis of all the comments posted online since the blog has been created, in January 2014Francesca Balena¹, Tiziana Moriconi², Ilaria Vacca¹, Mimma Panaccione¹, Barbara Bragato¹, Ivana Policiti¹, Sabrina Franci¹, Tiziana Farci¹ 1 Europa Donna Italia, MBC Working Group, Milano, Italy - 2 Galileo servizi editoriali; Salute Seno – D la Repubblica, Milano, Italy

Background Talking about advanced cancer is still a taboo in Italy, and little is said about it in the media. In order to overcome this situation, five women with metastatic breast cancer have created the first Italian blog about MBC, published by one of the most popular women’s web magazines in the country, “D la Repubblica”.

Methods and objectiveWe conducted a quali-quantitative analysis and a semantic analysis of all the comments posted online from January 2014 to April 2015: 28 posts and 618 comments were analyzed.

The main goals • To draw attention to the problems the MBC Italian

patients face everyday.• To understand how the blog can be supportive.• To draw up guidelines for the Europa Donna Italia

advocacy activities in the MBC field.

The blogFIGHT, LIVE, KEEP SMILINGLink: lottare-vivere-sorridere-d.blogautore.repubblica.it9.576 pageviews per month5.751 unique visitors per month (source: Webtrekk, April 2015)

The growth of thecommunity

What do women talk about in the blog?*

The 5 main issues in the medical sphere

The 5 main issues in the sphere of family and friends

The 5 main needs

The 5 main issues in the daily life sphere

What feelings arise in the blog?*

The 5 main positive feelings

The 5 main negative feelings

Word linkThe word “blog” is tied toPositive:• Exchange of information• Hope• Comfort• Strength• Sharing• Enthusiasm• RelationshipNegative: • none

The word “oncologist” is tied toPositive:• Confidence• Hope• Reference point• Good relationship

Negative:• Lack of time• Lack of support• Lack of confidence• Lack of communication skills• Understaffed hospitals

The word “therapy” is tied toPositive:• Confidence• Hope• Moral supportNegative:• Struggle• Irritation• Pain• Anxiety

The word “cancer” is predominant and it is tied to a lot of words: as the very common one, “shame” is worthy of attention.

ConclusionThe blog has highlighted some important needs of Italian women with metastatic breast cancer: being given consideration, getting and giving information, sharing experiences. The blog is not “just” a self-help community, but it is a powerful tool of communication, and a new advocacy movement is arising thanks to it.

Marika’s comment, 13 May 2014“The most beautiful and the most important thing you have emphasized is this: we die because of cancer, but we can also live with it. Cancer is not a death sentence as it is always seen, but it is a different way of living. If today I see this terrible disease as curable, it is thanks to your concrete example: a positive life is possible. You were able to go beyond the pain, the fear, and starting from this point, I have improved my way of taking the disease. You are, indeed, the warriors that we should be and could be. I told friends and relatives about you, and I hope they are reading this blog, because your journey is full of hope, but it is also real. A reality that may be scaring, but it is not dark. I believe that as you have helped me, you can help many other women”.02

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3078

2430

3150

2466

1674

1368

1359

963

1341

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2862

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5742

5751

03/2

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04/2

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05/2

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06/2

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07/2

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10/2

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* The numbers represent the comments in which each issue compares

ITALIA

Member: EUROPA DONNAThe European Breast Cancer Coalition

@ E

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Dat

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ITALIA

Member: EUROPA DONNAThe European Breast Cancer Coalition

This project is supported by an unrestricted educational grant by in collaboration withThe analysis was promoted by conducted by Europa Donna Italia’s MBC Group and

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