The Challenge

At EDS, we are committed to fighting disease and improving quality of life. The idea that became EDS began when the founder‘s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Researching together, they were overwhelmed with conflicting information, or a lack thereof in alternative options to conventional treatments. It was this very challenge that led to the creation of EDS.

Information Overload for Breast Cancer Patients & Survivors

In 2014, there were an estimated 14,738,719 people living with cancer in the United States. Every year, about 1.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer. While each person’s response to their diagnosis of cancer is different, there are some common similarities. One of the top things that women with breast cancer seek is more information to help them understand the disease, treatment options, side effects, and alternatives to traditional breast cancer treatments.

With the digital revolution and access to health information and online support groups via the Internet, today’s cancer patients seek to play an active role in their care. As reported in a study done by Pew Research Center, in 2012 approximately 72% of Americans used the internet to seek health information. Many times, patients aren’t familiar with the medical terms that their doctors are using when communicating with them; therefore, it’s been found that 89% of people diagnosed with cancer go online to search for information about their diagnosis. (source: Healthlinesurvey)

While having access to information online is a huge asset, it can also be a cause of stress and anxiety resulting from information overload for breast cancer patients. Of big concern is the fact that information spreads like wildfire across the Internet, whether it’s factual or totally bogus, so women battling breast cancer must be aware of the risks of some information that is shared online.

Our team at Epigenetic Data Sciences understands that in its broadest sense, breast cancer is a disease that affects every area of a woman’s life and has accompanying emotional, psychological, and sexual issues that are frequently not addressed by healthcare professionals. Nearly all women feel confused by the difficult treatment decisions they must make and the choice can seem overwhelming. As noted in the research article “Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer: Reactions, Choices, Decisions“, while women appreciate the broad selection of available therapies, they also can feel perplexed and frustrated by the number of treatment options offered.

Today, women with breast cancer and survivors of breast cancer conduct their search for information in books, from friends and family, medical articles, the various members of their medical team, online support groups, and websites on the Internet. The challenges that normally arise from the information overload are:

Conflicting and confusing information about traditional breast cancer treatments and alternative self-care options was one of the main reasons Epigenetics Data Sciences was started. You are already coping with a breast cancer diagnosis, your next steps shouldn’t be clouded in confusion, fear, and anxiety.