CANCER SUPPORT GROUPS PROVIDE CONNECTION FOR PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS
■❚ PATIENT CARE
CANCER SUPPORT GROUPS PROVIDE CONNECTION FOR PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS
“ Support groups help fill in the gaps in care , because treatment and other forms of clinical care can ’ t fully address the mental ups and downs or the need for a peer community ,” said Lindsey Murphy , LCSW , manager of the Cancer Center ’ s outpatient social workers .
Providing comprehensive care for patients during their cancer journey includes helping them maintain their mental well-being – before , during and after treatment . To help meet that need , the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center hosts support groups for patients with specific types of cancer , as well as a new group for those with any type of cancer .
Led by nurses and counselors , the groups provide support during the cancer journey by connecting patients and their caregivers with other people who are going through similar experiences and willing to share their firsthand insight .
“ Support groups help fill in the gaps in care , because treatment and other forms of clinical care can ’ t fully address the mental ups and downs or the need for a peer community ,” said Lindsey Murphy , LCSW , manager of the Cancer Center ’ s outpatient social workers . “ Our support groups give patients and their loved ones reassurance in the form of knowledge and social belonging .”
The General Oncology Support Group is open to patients with any type of cancer and includes a focus on the experience of receiving care at the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center . The group meets the first Tuesday of each month via Zoom . More groups will be launched in 2024 .
The Head and Neck Cancer Support Group meets on the third Thursday of every other month and is hosted by the UAB Medicine departments of Otolaryngology , Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Radiation Oncology .
The Pancreatobiliary Disease Center Support Group is a Facebook group for people with diseases of the pancreas or bile ducts . It provides education on these conditions , information about community resources and an opportunity for members to share their experiences and feel a greater sense of community .
The Neuro-Oncology Support Group , also known as Brain Buddies , is designed to build a sense of community among UAB Medicine Neuro-Oncology patients and their caregivers and allow them to connect with others going through similar experiences . The group meets at noon on the third Wednesday of each month . UAB Neuro-Oncology also hosts a similar Facebook group .
IN ADDITION Although not part of the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center , Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center is a 501 ( c )( 3 ) nonprofit and UAB Medicine partner . It serves breast cancer survivors and co-survivors residing or receiving treatment in the following counties : Blount , Jefferson , Shelby , St . Clair and Walker . Forge creates a personalized survivorship plan for each enrollee and offers a range of services , including health and wellness classes , counseling and more .
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