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Cancer Support Group Update
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In November, the facilitators and board of the Cancer Support Group had HIPPA training at the hospital. This concerns the privacy due to every patient, and has clearly delineated rules on what can and can’t be discussed with people who are not members of the group. Your facilitators and the board members who answer the cancer hotline are very cautious to protect the privacy of those who call and those who attend the group meetings.
Although there are very few rules in the support group, one of the most important tenets is that “what happens in group, stays in group.” Members are counseled not to talk about anything that they hear within the group to anyone outside of it. We value our privacy very much, and want to provide a safe place for the members to express, grieve or question. This can’t be done if the member doesn’t trust that what they say will be held in confidence.
We also strongly encourage attendees to speak of their doctors in terms of “my oncologist” or “my surgeon” rather than calling them by name. This is primarily because a patient’s relationship with his/her doctor is largely subjective. Cancer often brings lots of choices for patients in terms of treatment. It is difficult enough to deal with cancer without losing confidence in your doctor due to an offhand remark by another patient. As we are all aware, relationships can be very complicated in the best of circumstances. The fear and uncertainty brought on by a cancer diagnosis adds another layer of complexity to the equation.
December is Cancer-Related Fatigue Awareness Month. Between 70 and 100 percent of cancer patients receiving treatment suffer from fatigue related to their condition, according to the American Cancer Society, and up to one-half of all survivors have reported fatigue lasting months or even years after treatment. Fatigue can be one of the most distressing side effects of cancer treatment and can sometimes be overlooked by patients, caregivers and doctors. Cancer-related fatigue can affect personal relationships, one’s sense of well-being, and even compliance with treatment.
Signs of cancer-related fatigue include feeling tired or exhausted even after sleep, having trouble concentrating, feeling unmotivated and lacking interest in normal day-to-day activities. Cancer fatigue is very different from the fatigue of everyday life, because it is not relieved by rest and often hits unexpectedly, affecting a person’s ability to perform ordinary tasks. Many patients believe that fatigue is a side effect from treatment that cannot be managed; however, while there is no cure, there are ways to cope with and reduce symptoms. A few ways to manage cancer-related fatigue are getting rest, but not too much rest, staying active with regular moderate exercise, planning ahead to save your energy for when you know you will need it, eating well and getting a strong support system in line.
This month, the PVH Cancer Support Group meets on December 13 & 27 in Conference Room B from 6 to 7 pm. The board will meet on Tuesday, December 20 at 5:30. Happy Holidays to everyone, and may the New Year find you healthy and strong! |
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