People who have been diagnosed with cancer often report feeling disorientated, isolated or in shock and in need of support.
At a time when patients are trying to come to terms with the news that they have a life limiting illness, they may also be asked to make some of the most important decisions of their life and may feel unsure what to do for the best.
Hospital consultations can be informative but for many, the information seems overwhelming and difficult to understand.
The stress related to a diagnosis of cancer can make remembering to ask important questions about the options available, and side effects of treatments, challenging. The internet provides reams of information much of which is confusing, controversial and contradictory.
Many people with cancer are able to get the support they need from their families and friends. However, generally family or friends who have not had cancer are unable to fully appreciate what a cancer patient is going through; they may also be suffering from many of the emotional effects generally experienced by family and friends when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, and therefore need support themselves.
This need is often provided for by Support Groups which are there to help by offering many different types of activities and therapies.
These may include:
• Counselling sessions and complementary therapies
• Organised activities
• Talking groups offering the opportunity to chat to others, share experiences and helpful hints
Some support groups are for a specific type of cancer e.g. prostate, breast, lung etc, whilst others are more general cancer support groups. Often a health professional is involved with a support group to help with the running of it, and gives talks and general advice.
Support groups are also open to family, friends and carers of cancer patients. For them, going to support groups can often help them make more sense of what is happening and allows them to gain information and advice on how to help.
Group sessions are not for everyone and for some, one-to-one discussions are better.
Early next year Madrugada Associação has agreed to facilitate a group in Luz to support anyone in the Algarve who is affected by cancer. An inaugural meeting will be held on November 20 to discuss what kind of support group would be most helpful and decide the following points:
• who the group is for
• what activities would a group benefit from most
• who can come to the group
• how often should the group meet
• how will the needs of the group be best met
• how can members of the group ensure that they are involved in the decision-making
If you would like to be involved in the initial set-up of this group or if you are interested in learning more about this local cancer self-help and support group please contact Madrugada.
|| features@algarveresident.com
282 761 375
