Come one, come all. Where? To support groups!
The Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center at Martin Memorial provides myriad support groups for different diagnoses. Support groups are a wonderful way to meet people who share your experience with cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship, and are also a place for family and caregivers to gain support.
Paulette Craft, the social worker at our cancer center, says support groups “offer hope, information and emotional support; they are a safe place to share feelings and concerns about coping with cancer for patients and families.”
Support groups are often facilitated by a clinical social worker. Paulette says they prepare for this role in graduate school with “special courses, training and practicum.” This leaves the social worker well qualified to make the time during a support group as beneficial as possible.
Support groups serve many purposes. Paulette tells us they are “a place to learn coping skills from one another, gather emotional strength for present and future struggles, and become more effective advocates for their own needs as cancer survivors.” They not only offer emotional support, they offer useful patient to patient information.
Patients may learn, according to Paulette, “ways to live with cancer and side effects of treatments; and ways to see that others successfully resume full, active lives.” Patients and families may find the information regarding support groups on the second floor of the cancer center. That includes a monthly calendar listing locations, times and contact information. Many of the support groups meet monthly, except for the general cancer support group, which meets weekly on Wednesdays.
For more information on support groups, please call Paulette Craft at (772) 223-5945, ext. 3719.
-- Lindsay Mattino, RN, BA
Clinical Research Coordinator
Genetics Nurse Educator
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