RESUMO
Because of improved therapeutic strategies, both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and breast cancer can be considered life-threatening illnesses that eventually become a chronic condition. Both diagnoses carry a psychological impact, stigma, body alterations, intense medical evaluations, and therapies. Both conditions are prevalent among minorities, especially women of Hispanic heritage. This article describes an empowerment intervention originally designed for women living with HIV and adapted for women with a diagnosis of breast cancer. We will describe the conceptual framework for the intervention and the rationale for the chosen groups. The Women's Empowerment Intervention Model consists of a series of six full-day workshops in which multiple biopsychosocial dimensions are explored within the group, and diverse experiential activities are carried out related to the day's topics. The workshops were modified to deal with the specific issues that women confront when diagnosed with breast cancer. This model was chosen precisely because it deals with specific aspects of healing and living with a chronic illness. We propose that HIV should be viewed as a chronic condition and compared to other conditions that affect women's lives in similar ways.