Cancer Support Groups Offer Better Quality of Life
Cancer support groups have long been shown to provide a positive experience to those who are dealing with cancer or who have survived cancer. These groups have been shown to improve mood and mental, spiritual and emotional wellbeing while also improving some physical symptoms. In this modern world, more support groups are beginning to meet online as well as in person.
Different types of cancer produce differing side effects. Some produce a great deal of pain while others are fairly painless but may greatly affect how a person looks and how they perceive themselves. For example, breast cancer patients who have had a mastectomy may deal with issues of self-esteem, skin cancer patients may deal with a fear of the sun and the outdoors while mesothelioma patients may deal with more physical problems such as shortness of breath and chest congestion.
However, a cancer support group can improve the quality of life of any of these situations. They provide a safe place for everyone involved to discuss their feelings and to ask questions. Cancer patients and cancer survivors provide an intricate network of empathy and support while family members of cancer patients learn how to cope with the daily hardships, the financial concerns and the side effects of their loved one's treatments. Some support groups may be attended by various members of the medical team such as an occupational therapist or specialist such as a mesothelioma doctor.
The National Cancer Institute, which is a part of the National Institute of Health, states that some research studies have shown that support groups not only improve the quality of life but also can affect patient survival. It has certainly been documented that people with more positive moods typically experience more happiness and fewer physical conditions. When one connects with others who have dealt with similar medical experiences and have probably worked through some of the same emotional concerns, his experience becomes more hopeful and he gains the strength to face the disease and fight back.
A cancer support group can often be found through one's healthcare system. Patients and their families who live too far away to attend can often get a recommendation for an online group through their doctors. The result will be a better quality of life for the entire family.
Different types of cancer produce differing side effects. Some produce a great deal of pain while others are fairly painless but may greatly affect how a person looks and how they perceive themselves. For example, breast cancer patients who have had a mastectomy may deal with issues of self-esteem, skin cancer patients may deal with a fear of the sun and the outdoors while mesothelioma patients may deal with more physical problems such as shortness of breath and chest congestion.
However, a cancer support group can improve the quality of life of any of these situations. They provide a safe place for everyone involved to discuss their feelings and to ask questions. Cancer patients and cancer survivors provide an intricate network of empathy and support while family members of cancer patients learn how to cope with the daily hardships, the financial concerns and the side effects of their loved one's treatments. Some support groups may be attended by various members of the medical team such as an occupational therapist or specialist such as a mesothelioma doctor.
The National Cancer Institute, which is a part of the National Institute of Health, states that some research studies have shown that support groups not only improve the quality of life but also can affect patient survival. It has certainly been documented that people with more positive moods typically experience more happiness and fewer physical conditions. When one connects with others who have dealt with similar medical experiences and have probably worked through some of the same emotional concerns, his experience becomes more hopeful and he gains the strength to face the disease and fight back.
A cancer support group can often be found through one's healthcare system. Patients and their families who live too far away to attend can often get a recommendation for an online group through their doctors. The result will be a better quality of life for the entire family.
By: David Haas
