Support Groups Offer Healing and Hope
“The groups help me relax, give me perspective on my situation and allow me the chance to pray for others.” That is what one cancer patient had to say about the support groups offered by Cancer Navigators.
A drop-in support group for cancer patients meets every Friday at 11: 45 a.m. Attendees participate in mindfulness-based meditation and group sharing. “We have had patients from their 30s to their 80s,” said Denise Powers, a counselor and social worker who coordinates the groups. “Patients say that the group has changed their lives for the better.”
There is also a monthly group focused on those caring for cancer patients. The purpose of this support group is to increase awareness of the caregiver role, to help families have a shared understanding of both the joys and stresses of this time and to provide coping skills for caregivers. “This workshop gets excellent reviews from our families,” said Denise.
Paint out Cancer is another group for self-expression where an artist leads patients and caregivers in a creative experience.
View the calendar for more details on these support groups and others in the community.