Follow these tips for being an essential member of her care team.

Ask about your friend's diet changes during breast cancer treatment. Favor small, nutrient-dense snacks like apples with peanut butter or cheese with crackers.

Help with chores like laundry, floors, and dishes. Offer an hour of assistance while she rests, understanding the challenges of daily tasks amid health concerns.

Cutting the lawn, raking the leaves or shoveling the snow. Even if these chores are usually done by her hubby - it's a huge help. You can bet her better half also has more on his plate than usual, both logistically and emo-tionally

If your friend has young children, ask if you can lend a hand. While routines such as childcare or helping study for a math exam can be comforting at times, they can also get overwhelming. Offer it as an option to show you care.

Maybe she's shy about going to a support group alone. Maybe driving herself to chemotherapy and sitting there alone for hours makes her mind numb and she'd like some company. Ask and see.

If your friend does not have insurance, or is otherwise struggling to pay her medical bills, why not start a fundraiser? There are many options, including those on-line, to help ease her burden.

If you've been there through thick and thin, don't stop now. Communicate from the get-go and throughout her entire breast cancer journey. Ask what she wants and needs - and don't be afraid to ask her to share her feelings!

Listen and look for "tell-tale" signs: Is she sleepy and doesn't want com-pany? Or vice versa, does she need an ear to vent or decompress? If so, don't try to solve her problems (or tell stories of your Uncle Joe's mother's friend's experience with breast cancer). Just listen!

Show your support for your friend by getting a screening yourself. Surely, she'll appreciate that you understand the importance of taking care of yourself - and encourage your friends and family to do the same.