Hey, I have been in this situation. Ok I wasnt a teenager, I was 23 when I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease (cancer of the lymph nodes). I really understand that its hard to tell your friends, but its best just to come out and do it. You basically need to just come out and say “I found out I have cancer.” Tell them what to expect, such as “I will be in treatment for 6 months, but the doctors say I should go into remission after that.” The sooner you tell them the better, because it gets harder the longer you wait. Also, try to do it in person, not over the phone. You may want to tell one friend at a time or you could tell all your close friends at once. Just make sure you dont wait too long to tell a close friend so her or she does not feel left out. If you dont mind reading a really long response, I will share some of my experiences with you. I know I am not a teen, but a single college student is kinda close :-).
Expect a variety of responses. People do not know how to react and a strange reaction does not mean people dont care about you. I got three types of reactions from my friends.
1. Some seem disinterested because they dont know how to express their concern. I noticed many males dont openly express their feelings. I have a very good guy friend, and for some reason I had the most trouble telling him. When I finally did, he just said “Oh, really?” And that was that. He was still a good friend after that but didnt talk much about my cancer. I was a little hurt, but figured he didnt know what to say. Seven months later I proudly announced my remission and he got really happy. “That is SO good to hear,” He said. “I was so worried about you and kept thinking about you. It really scared me.” I guess he just didnt know how to handle the news before.
2. Some might give you a blunt response. Thats what my best friend did. She said things like “Are you going to die?” “Are you sure you will be okay? “I dont know what well do if you are not okay!” “Chemotherapy! You are going to loose your hair!” Those responses seem blunt and tactless, but I liked them. It helped me know what she was thinking and that she cared.
3. Then there is the awkward response. Most people were concerened but just didnt know what to say, so theyd say things like “I am sorry to hear about that thing.” Or they would just keep asking me if I am okay. Or they would aproach my mother because they were afraid to talk to me about my cancer. Such responses may be awkward, but they come from well meaning people who just dont know what to say.
Just remember that your friends care about you and WANT to know about your health, even if they give weird responses. Some of your friend will draw closer to you, some may become more distant. You are bound to discover people that you can really count on though.
If you ever want to talk please email me: madenthe80s@hotmail.com. Id love to hear from you.