In The Locality
Cancer support groups are excellent support system to most cancer survivors in the world. These support groups offer tremendous support to patients, to deal with their emotional turmoil after battling cancer. Losing your loved ones, family or friends, is a totally different experience; when cancer strikes, there is nothing bigger or worst than the fact that you are diseased and your chances of survival is thin.
Cancer support groups extend a hand of friendship, love, support and care to patients and help them in dealing with an array of emotions that follows the process of treatment. Along with a cancer specialist, patients also need help from support groups to divulge their emotions, which remains buried beneath medications and therapies.
Cancer support groups have been identified as the place where patients can learn from fellow patients and survivors. Because support groups are a community of cancer patients, revealing their feelings during the treatment and talking about many more emotions that they have to deal with. Managing family, financial strain, symptoms and questions with doctors, are also some of the vital areas that become a learning experience for others.
While any of the cancer support groups can be equally helpful, many people living with a typical type of cancer look for support groups addressing their complication and not just cancer in general.
Often times, it is difficult for the older patients to connect with young ones; males also do not connect well with females and their symptoms. Similarly, an older man with lung cancer cannot connect with a young woman with breast cancer.
Cancer support groups are different for different patients; these are not the same. It is very important for patients to find groups that will make them feel comfortable.
Find groups that will have good number of listeners to give patient hearing to respective patients.
Talking can have a positive influence on the others, and therefore it is important to find one group that emphasize on the positive aspects of cancer treatment and coping with the symptoms.
There are many local support groups and communities offering advantage of direct contact with the other members of the group, even though they need the energy to leave their homes to attend these meetings. Sometimes, the support group meetings can have a positive impact on the lives of people, giving them a new ray of hope. Consult your cancer specialist before you leave your home on your own.
Local groups can include the cancer care center, oncology group, or hospital. There are many community support groups too. You can ask your family members or friends or even enquire at the local community office. You can also check the community newspaper and find out whatever is available in town.
There are plenty of online cancer support groups that have evolved in the recent times. Patients uncomfortable with the idea of coming out of their homes to attend support group meetings can choose the online forums to share their feelings. It is advantageous and also helps in establishing connections without traveling.