I was trained months ago to serve as a Reach to Recovery volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS). My purpose: to meet face-to-face with women facing breast cancer, to offer them some measure of comfort, to help them manage their overwhelming emotions, to provide them with information and resources, to impart hope during a time of fear and uncertainty.

For months, I had not been called upon to meet with anyone in my community. I'd like to think this is a good thing -- a sign of decreasing breast cancer cases perhaps -- but I tend to believe it stems from a hesitancy to ask for help or a lack of knowledge about this support program. Regardless, I got my first call last week. And I made my first visit. And these are my first impressions of my first encounter as a Reach to Recovery volunteer.

The Reach to Recovery program operates on the premise of matching like-cancer survivors. I was matched with a young woman -- she is 31; I am 37, although my diagnosis came at age 34 -- and each of us was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. We both had surgery, both have young children, both feel a little sad that because of cancer, we likely won't have more children. We connected. We bonded. For a little more than one hour, we were in the same boat. Together, we tackled rough waters.

The most powerful moment during my training session didn't involve the teaching of techniques and skills and technical know-how. It involved one simple message delivered by my instructor. She told me my mere presence will accomplish more than anything else during my visits. Seeing that I'm alive, happy, healthy, thriving even is all someone needs to have hope. I saw this firsthand during my first Reach to Recovery visit. I felt my new friend's eyes on me. Was she envisioning that one day, she too, would be a survivor comforting someone new to the game of breast cancer? I hope so.

I believe I learned as much from my visit as my friend learned. She got the printed materials, the details about ACS services, some insight into how I managed through cancer, and hopefully some inspiration too. But I got an education all the same. I gained an appreciation for this one woman's personal ordeal, her different life circumstances, her positive spin on life. A strong woman with a strong faith, she comforted me as much as I did her. No one told me during training this would happen, that I would walk away refreshed and enlightened. What a nice side effect.

There's more about the Reach to Recovery program I could address -- these are just three of my first impressions -- but I will leave the rest up to you. If you have survived breast cancer and feel fully adjusted after treatment, consider contacting your local ACS office to inquire about volunteering. If you are newly diagnosed, in the midst of treatment, and in need of support, consider contacting your ACS office about receiving your own face-to-face visit. If you don't fit one of these two groups, file what you've just read into your memory bank and share it with anyone who may benefit. You'll be glad you did.