Cancer patients often find that connecting with others who are going through a similar situation can help to reduce stress and improve quality of life. Support groups provide more than emotional support. They provide resources and education, as well as offer members tips on cope. If you are thinking about organizing a cancer support group in your area, following some basic guidelines can help get the group off to a more successful start.
Instructions
1. Decide whether group will meet in person or be an online forum. For rare cancers, online participation provide outreach to a greater number of people. When developing an online support group, visit www.thefreesite.com for information on a variety of free Web-related services. Contact the Association of Cancer Online Resources (ACOR) at www.acor.org if you need help starting a new online cancer support group.
2. Affiliate yourself with a reputable organization. This can be a local cancer center or other medical facility. Begin by contacting the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit the Website at www.cancer.org for more information. National advocacy organizations such as the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) or the National Cancer Institute Office of Advocacy Relations (OAR) are other sources of outreach.
3. Determine criteria for group members. For example, you must decide if the group will offer membership to individuals with any type or only certain kinds of cancers. Another factor to consider is whether the group will encourage participation by family members and caretakers of individuals who have cancer. Some support groups welcome anyone who has an interest.
4. Create a name that reflects the support group's purpose. When people hear the name, you want them to be able to identify with what the group does. Keep in mind that you are reaching out to a particular population of individuals.
5. Choose a place to meet. Find a location that is easy and convenient to find. The meetings should be somewhere that offers privacy since people will be sharing personal experiences. Local churches, senior centers or community recreation centers often offer rooms where people can gather informally. Most allow nonprofit support groups the use of a meeting area at not cost. However, you will need to reserve the room in advance.
6. Schedule a calendar of meetings. Many groups start out with once monthly or bimonthly meetings. Some groups only meet quarterly at first. Meetings are typically scheduled for a weekday evening in order to accommodate more people; meeting on Saturday mornings may be another option.
7. Select a group facilitator. It is also a good idea to have a backup person. Find a trained health care professional who has experience working with cancer patients and is willing to volunteer his or her time to manage the group. A cancer survivor who is no longer undergoing treatment can also lead the group. The facilitator must possess both good listening and verbal skills, and know when to intervene to keep the group on track.
8. Recruit members. Because confidentiality is involved, you may want to begin with a public awareness campaign in the community. This will allow you the opportunity to provide contact information should anyone be interested in joining the support group. You can also advertise the meetings in local newspapers or on local radio stations. Many local news media run public service announcements for free. You can also get permission to post flyers in physicians' offices, at local businesses, and on community bulletin boards.
9. Pick a topic for each meeting. Then, invite guest speakers who are experts in those areas for an open forum discussion. Meetings should be planned in such a way as to keep participants informed about proper care, any medical advances in treatment, clinical trials, local health care providers, and coping strategies. Guest speakers can be an advantage by encouraging new members to attend, as well as add to the quality of the meetings. The key is to keep people interested and coming back.
Tags: support group, group will, cancer support, group facilitator, health care
