Mental Health Bulgaria Project #75106

Psychological Support for Women with Breast Cancer

by Foundation Nana Gladwish - One in 8

Project Report | Oct 27, 2026
Thanks to You: A Safe Place to Share and Heal

By GERGANA BOGDANOVA | Project Leader

Dear Supporter,

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when the world talks about early detection and treatment. For the women we work with, there is another side to the story that is talked about far less: the fear, the sleepless nights, and the question of how to tell the children. Thanks to you, none of them had to face these questions alone over the past three months.

From July to October, our psychologists held 327 individual counseling sessions with women with breast cancer and their loved ones. Some sessions took place in person at the One in 8 Club in Sofia. Others were held by phone, Viber or Zoom, so that women living far from the capital, or too exhausted by treatment to travel, could still reach a professional when they needed one.

22 women took part in 2 moderated self-support groups, where they could speak openly with others who truly understand.

Our therapeutic workshops gave women a different language for emotions that are hard to put into words:

Art therapy: 30 women took part in 4 sessions, where they used different art techniques to discover hidden strengths within themselves.
Workshops for Emotions: 5 workshops with 30 participants.
Psychological workshops: 52 women worked with techniques, e.g. therapeutic writing, storytelling, self-reflection in 5 workshops.
Film therapy: 1 therapy, 8 participants.

"I attend art therapy and psychological workshops because I feel understood, accepted, and loved—just like being in a family. There is always compassion, a sense of shared experience, and empathy. The therapists work with great sensitivity, tailoring their approach to each one of us. They help me unlock capabilities I never knew I had—to express myself through speaking, writing, and creating. I feel at ease, comfortable, and warm—just like at home."

Asya, a breast cancer patient, Sofia

The need for this support does not end with a woman’s last treatment. Many women continue to struggle with fear of recurrence, changes in their bodies, and returning to work and family life. We continue to organize therapeutic activities every month to meet the needs of the patients.

Every donation, means another conversation, another workshop, and another woman who leaves feeling a little lighter. Thank you for being part of this.

With gratitude,
The One in 8 Team

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Jun 22, 2026
Psychological Support Project Report June

By Gergana Bogdanova | Project Leader

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are grateful for your continued support of our project, “Psychological Support for Women with Breast Cancer in Bulgaria.” Thanks to your generosity, we have continued to provide free psychological services to women diagnosed with breast cancer and their families, helping them navigate one of the most challenging periods of their lives.

During this reporting period, our psychologists provided 477 individual psychological counseling sessions to women with breast cancer and their loved ones, both in person at the “One in 8” Club in Sofia and remotely via phone, Viber, and Zoom. These services ensured that women from all parts of Bulgaria had access to professional support regardless of their location.

We also continued our group-based activities designed to reduce isolation and strengthen emotional resilience. 18 women participated in 2 professionally moderated self-support groups where they shared experiences, coping strategies, and mutual encouragement in a safe and confidential environment. In this period our psychologists worked with 10 family members and caregivers attended dedicated monthly support meetings, receiving guidance on how to better support their loved ones while also taking care of their own emotional wellbeing.

Our therapeutic workshops remained an important part of the program. Through art therapy, film therapy, laughter therapy, and emotion-focused workshops, participants were able to express difficult emotions, build self-awareness, and reconnect with sources of strength and hope. These activities created opportunities for meaningful social connection and emotional healing.

46 women with a diagnosis participated in our monthly art therapies and together with the therapists they created a visual board for the upcoming year, worked with clay, drew with their eyes closed, created an Easter egg as a symbol of inner light, breathed in color, imprinted their image while searching for their inner strength and learning new things about themselves.
We held 4 workshops on emotions, where 38 women led by our psychologist explored anger, sadness, hope and fear and built strategies for managing negative emotions and learning how to recognize positive ones again.
We organized 8 psychological workshops on various topics, in which 71 women with a diagnosis worked with various techniques - desire maps, vision boards, therapeutic reading, storytelling, therapeutic writing, self-reflection - as a path to self-knowledge and inner reflection.
2 film therapies took place at the One in 8 club, attended by 15 women, and after watching the films specially selected by our psychologist, they looked for themselves in the life situations of the characters.
At the organized laughter therapy, 7 women, led by our therapist, learned the special technique that would help them release tension, restore harmony with themselves, and fill themselves with joy.

One of the most valuable aspects of the program has been helping women realize that they are not facing cancer alone. Participants frequently share that meeting others with similar experiences reduces feelings of fear and isolation and gives them confidence to move forward with treatment and recovery.

The need for psychological support remains significant. Many women continue to face anxiety, uncertainty, relationship challenges, and concerns about their children and families throughout the cancer journey. With your support, we are able to provide professional assistance that helps women regain a sense of stability, control, and emotional wellbeing.

In the coming months, we will continue delivering individual counseling, support groups, and therapeutic workshops while expanding opportunities for remote participation to reach more women and families across Bulgaria.

Thank you for standing beside women with breast cancer and their loved ones. Your generosity makes it possible to provide compassionate, professional psychological support exactly when it is needed most.

With gratitude,

The One in 8 Foundation Team

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