Cancer support group
Encyclopedia
Cancer support groups provide a setting in which cancer
patients can talk about living with cancer with others who may be having similar experiences. Much of the sociological construction of these groups is similar to other kinds of other types of support group
s.
Although the experience of people diagnosed with cancer varies greatly from one person to another, they all need a good support system in order to cope throughout the different stages of the process. Different support systems have thus been developed including community support groups, online cancer support groups, networks, forums, and charitable organizations. Community support groups are usually led by psychologists, social workers, and medical professionals and can take place in churches, hospitals, or community centers. Online support groups and forums are a good option for those patients who find it difficult to leave their home
during treatment
. People participating in such forums have the possibility to maintain their anonymity
. Support systems range from those that address patients suffering from specific types of cancer to those that support patients suffering from any kind of cancer.
fact sheets and booklets, including "Taking Time and Facing Forward".
Apart from various improvements in confidence, wellbeing, stress, and interpersonal comfort, cancer support groups are being studied for their direct effects on improving health of people who attend them. Some small-scale tests have compared members of a breast cancer
support group at Stanford against a control group and found significant benefits associated with group membership. These studies are currently being repeated on a larger scale. Some theories about these benefits ascribe heath improvements to reduced stress from talking about emotional issues, the placebo effect
, learning about treatment options through interaction with others with common issues. A large-scale research project of cancer online communities is ongoing and may provide some answers about the use of cancer online mailing lists by their subscribers.
has developed the Cancer Survivors Network aimed to help cancer survivor
s, families and friends find and communicate with others who share their interests and experiences.
The Cancer Support Community is an international non-profit that offers personalized services and education to support people affected by cancer. This initiative started operations after The Wellness Community
and Gilda's Club
joined together to provide psychological and social support through their network of 50 local affiliates, more than 100 satellite locations and online services.
Macmillan Cancer Support
is a cancer care and support charity in the UK devoted to help improve the lives of people affected by any kind of cancer. It was founded in 1911 by Douglas Macmillan and it is now the largest of its kind in the UK. They support people living with cancer, their families and carers as well. The ways in which they help are very broad and address information needs as well as practical, emotional and financial support. On the one hand, they provide information leaflets, specialist medical care and support. Moreover, this organization fights discrimination
and campaign for changes in policy
, legislation
and practice. Macmillan also funds nurses and other specialists in health and social care professionals. They have funded over 4,000 health and social care professionals across the UK. These professionals helped 432,000 people in 2008 that included not only cancer patients and their families, but also carers and friends. Macmillan works together with NHS, local authorities, Citizens Advice and other cancer charities.
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure
is a non-profit organization created in 1982 to raise money for research and awareness of breast cancer
. It is the world's largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists as well as the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.
CanCare is a non-profit cancer support network with a mission to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors and their families. This support comes from trained volunteers who themselves have experienced and survived a cancer diagnosis or have been a caregiver to someone who has.
Nepal Cancer Support Group (NCSG) is a non government organization registered to Nepal Government was established in 2010 with an intention to promote awareness regarding cancer prevention, screening, treatment, counselling, experience sharing and advocacy by accumulating cancer survivors,their family members, health professionals, social workers, interested individuals and volunteers to form a group. This group is led by Senior Medical Oncologist Dr. Sudeep Shrestha of Nepal.
LIVESTRONG is a global cancer support and research organization. It originated from the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), which was founded by Lance Armstrong in 1997, after he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer in 1996. Their motto is “Unity is strength, knowledge is power, and attitude is everything.” They are about helping people live their life with cancer and helping them fight to overcome it. They provide support and resources to all people affected by cancer. They help fund cancer research, as well as do their own research projects. Additionally, they have a platform to influence public policy to help everyone affected by cancer on the local, national, and global level. Globally, they are helping all countries develop and adopt a national cancer plan, and encouraging governments to support efforts to reduce cancer stigma. Nationally, they are trying to make it easier for cancer patients to have access to quality cancer care. Locally, they are trying to increase investments in cancer research and support programs.
Stand Up to Cancer (shortened to S↑2C or SU2C) is a charity program designed to raise funds for cancer research. It was established by media, entertainment, and philanthropic leaders who were diagnosed with cancer. Their premise is to spread awareness that everyone is affected by cancer. They use the statistic “One out of two men, and one out of three women, will be diagnosed with cancer” to emphasize that cancer affects everyone, whether they are diagnosed or know someone who has been diagnosed. They kick started their campaign with a telethon on September 5, 2008 that raised over $100 million dollars. Since then, they have had many different fundraising methods, including their Mobile Giving campaign, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars, and their online project, The Constellation, where people can “launch a star” for a dollar in honor of friends, family, and loved ones in their lives who are dealing with cancer.
Bear Necessities is a cancer foundation created to help eliminate pediatric cancer and to provide hope and support to those affected by it. It was created by eight year old Barrett “Bear” Krupa and his mother. Bear was battling a Wilms Tumor for five and half years, and during that time, he was dedicated to helping other people fight pediatric cancer, more than he was concerned with himself. This foundation was created in memory of him in order to help others beat pediatric cancer.
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patients can talk about living with cancer with others who may be having similar experiences. Much of the sociological construction of these groups is similar to other kinds of other types of support group
Support group
In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic...
s.
Although the experience of people diagnosed with cancer varies greatly from one person to another, they all need a good support system in order to cope throughout the different stages of the process. Different support systems have thus been developed including community support groups, online cancer support groups, networks, forums, and charitable organizations. Community support groups are usually led by psychologists, social workers, and medical professionals and can take place in churches, hospitals, or community centers. Online support groups and forums are a good option for those patients who find it difficult to leave their home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
during treatment
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
. People participating in such forums have the possibility to maintain their anonymity
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
. Support systems range from those that address patients suffering from specific types of cancer to those that support patients suffering from any kind of cancer.
Providing emotional support
Apart from having to cope with the physical and medical challenges, people with cancer face many worries, feelings, and concerns unique to their situation. Cancer patients may find they need help coping with the emotional as well as the practical aspects of their disease. In fact, attention to the emotional burden of having cancer is often a part of a patient's treatment plan. The support of the health care team (doctors, nurses, social workers), support groups, and patient-to-patient networks can help people feel less isolated and distressed, and improve the quality of their lives. More importantly cancer support groups can provide access to the most current information regarding available treatments. Anyone suffering from an uncommon form of cancer should consider joining a specialized online community to gain access to information often not available anywhere else. Cancer support groups provide a setting in which cancer patients can talk about living with cancer with others who may be having similar experiences. Also, patients may have different concerns stemming from their particular situation in life which may warrant a special support group that caters specifically to their needs. For example, there are support groups dedicated to helping women of certain ages through their cancer experience. Patients may want to speak to a member of their health care team about finding a support group that best suits their needs. Many also find useful basic information in NCINational Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
fact sheets and booklets, including "Taking Time and Facing Forward".
Apart from various improvements in confidence, wellbeing, stress, and interpersonal comfort, cancer support groups are being studied for their direct effects on improving health of people who attend them. Some small-scale tests have compared members of a breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
support group at Stanford against a control group and found significant benefits associated with group membership. These studies are currently being repeated on a larger scale. Some theories about these benefits ascribe heath improvements to reduced stress from talking about emotional issues, the placebo effect
Placebo effect
Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
, learning about treatment options through interaction with others with common issues. A large-scale research project of cancer online communities is ongoing and may provide some answers about the use of cancer online mailing lists by their subscribers.
Support groups
The American Cancer SocietyAmerican Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
has developed the Cancer Survivors Network aimed to help cancer survivor
Cancer survivor
A cancer survivor is an individual with cancer of any type, current or past, who is still living. About 11 million Americans alive today—one in 30 people–are either currently undergoing treatment for cancer or have done so in the past." Currently nearly 65% of adults diagnosed with cancer in the...
s, families and friends find and communicate with others who share their interests and experiences.
The Cancer Support Community is an international non-profit that offers personalized services and education to support people affected by cancer. This initiative started operations after The Wellness Community
The Wellness Community
The Wellness Community is an international, non-profit organization that provides support, and education to people with cancer and those who care for them. In addition to providing support groups, education and other programs, TWC conducts research to quantify and document the benefits of...
and Gilda's Club
Gilda's Club
Gilda's Club, named in tribute to the late comic actress Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989, is a community meeting place for people living with cancer, their families and friends. There are 22 open clubhouses and nine in development in North America...
joined together to provide psychological and social support through their network of 50 local affiliates, more than 100 satellite locations and online services.
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer....
is a cancer care and support charity in the UK devoted to help improve the lives of people affected by any kind of cancer. It was founded in 1911 by Douglas Macmillan and it is now the largest of its kind in the UK. They support people living with cancer, their families and carers as well. The ways in which they help are very broad and address information needs as well as practical, emotional and financial support. On the one hand, they provide information leaflets, specialist medical care and support. Moreover, this organization fights discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
and campaign for changes in policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
, legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
and practice. Macmillan also funds nurses and other specialists in health and social care professionals. They have funded over 4,000 health and social care professionals across the UK. These professionals helped 432,000 people in 2008 that included not only cancer patients and their families, but also carers and friends. Macmillan works together with NHS, local authorities, Citizens Advice and other cancer charities.
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....
is a non-profit organization created in 1982 to raise money for research and awareness of breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. It is the world's largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists as well as the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.
CanCare is a non-profit cancer support network with a mission to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors and their families. This support comes from trained volunteers who themselves have experienced and survived a cancer diagnosis or have been a caregiver to someone who has.
Nepal Cancer Support Group (NCSG) is a non government organization registered to Nepal Government was established in 2010 with an intention to promote awareness regarding cancer prevention, screening, treatment, counselling, experience sharing and advocacy by accumulating cancer survivors,their family members, health professionals, social workers, interested individuals and volunteers to form a group. This group is led by Senior Medical Oncologist Dr. Sudeep Shrestha of Nepal.
LIVESTRONG is a global cancer support and research organization. It originated from the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), which was founded by Lance Armstrong in 1997, after he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer in 1996. Their motto is “Unity is strength, knowledge is power, and attitude is everything.” They are about helping people live their life with cancer and helping them fight to overcome it. They provide support and resources to all people affected by cancer. They help fund cancer research, as well as do their own research projects. Additionally, they have a platform to influence public policy to help everyone affected by cancer on the local, national, and global level. Globally, they are helping all countries develop and adopt a national cancer plan, and encouraging governments to support efforts to reduce cancer stigma. Nationally, they are trying to make it easier for cancer patients to have access to quality cancer care. Locally, they are trying to increase investments in cancer research and support programs.
Stand Up to Cancer (shortened to S↑2C or SU2C) is a charity program designed to raise funds for cancer research. It was established by media, entertainment, and philanthropic leaders who were diagnosed with cancer. Their premise is to spread awareness that everyone is affected by cancer. They use the statistic “One out of two men, and one out of three women, will be diagnosed with cancer” to emphasize that cancer affects everyone, whether they are diagnosed or know someone who has been diagnosed. They kick started their campaign with a telethon on September 5, 2008 that raised over $100 million dollars. Since then, they have had many different fundraising methods, including their Mobile Giving campaign, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars, and their online project, The Constellation, where people can “launch a star” for a dollar in honor of friends, family, and loved ones in their lives who are dealing with cancer.
Bear Necessities is a cancer foundation created to help eliminate pediatric cancer and to provide hope and support to those affected by it. It was created by eight year old Barrett “Bear” Krupa and his mother. Bear was battling a Wilms Tumor for five and half years, and during that time, he was dedicated to helping other people fight pediatric cancer, more than he was concerned with himself. This foundation was created in memory of him in order to help others beat pediatric cancer.