Support groups

When I was diagnosed that I had a brain tumor, I was hurting more emotionally than physically. You see my mom died of breast cancer way back 1998 and I immediately assumed I was having the same fate as she had. God and the internet were the only companions I had that time. I would always talk to God and would blog what I feel or where I was those times. I showed everyone I am strong. I also drifted away from my relatives and friends as I did not want them to be part of the grief I was going through. I worked harder to compensate for my confusion and loneliness. Every day was a day of excruciating head aches. Then one day, I decided to live. If by any chance that I would have a shorter life, I would like to live it to the fullest. I opened myself slowly to life. I searched on support groups online. There isn't much of a big community of support groups in the Philippines but with the technology nowadays, you get to have those in all areas of the world. You'll see people with the exact same conditions and situations in life. You get inspired with their stories. You receive unsolicited encouragement from strangers. They make you feel like you are not alone, they know how exactly where you are and that there's more to life than the sickness or disease that we have. This year has been a good improvement for me in terms of my health condition, the way I see, live and love life. Here's an article I'd like to share about being able to find the right support group.

Finding the Right Cancer Support Network For You

By: David Haas

Cancer is not only a threat to one’s body; it’s also a threat to one’s emotional integrity. Family and loved ones can be sympathetic and supportive, but how can they really know what you’re going through? Peer support can be a vital resource for cancer patients. A new form of cancer patient peer support group has emerged in recent years, facilitated by the Internet, that help cancer patient’s support one another. These are online cancer support networks.

Cancer support networks can be formal groups affiliated with hospital and cancer centers, administered by medical cancer specialists; they can be informal networks, put together and managed by survivors; or they can be anything in between.

While some of these groups are geared toward emotional support alone, others are oriented more practically and offer support for both the practical and financial aspects of cancer survival that can sometimes be overwhelming, things like how to find assistance with transportation, food preparation, laundry, cleaning and even childcare if you’re in a situation where you don’t have a support system to help you with those things. Cancer support groups can also point you towards financial resources in case your insurance is inadequate to meet your medical and transportation needs. Cancer support groups can help you find 24 hour cancer support lines and medical information; they can even help you formulate questions to ask your health care providers that will yield the most useful replies.

The results of several research studies suggest that finding the right cancer support group can help patients cope better with all aspects of their disease which can actually help them live longer. Online support groups may be particularly useful for people who live in rural areas or who are immobilized because of their disease. There are even cancer support groups for patients with rare cancers like mesothelioma that can help these patients feel less alone.

How do you find an online cancer support group that’s right for you? Begin with talking to your doctor, your nurses or your hospital social worker. The American Cancer Society (ACS) maintains a registry of literally thousands of cancer support groups nationwide as well as of other cancer advocacy organizations that maintain online support groups. The National Cancer Institute maintains a similar database. Affiliated with the ACS, the Cancer Survivors Network is a sophisticated Internet forum with bulletin boards and live chats. There’s a cancer support network that meets your needs waiting for you to find it.