As a support group facilitator at weSPARK Cancer Support Center in Santa Clarita, guests frequently describe their initial feelings of shock, numbness, fear and disbelief when diagnosed with cancer. “It’s like a whirlwind of information I am trying to decipher.” Initially, patients are bombarded with a lot of information. It is often too much to grasp all at once, not only for themselves, but for their loved ones as well. With limited time to research and have questions answered, cancer patients eventually make decisions regarding their course of treatment. Sometimes this includes chemotherapy, radiation, alternative treatments, hospice care and/or no treatment at all. Many must also make decisions regarding changes in treatment at various stages in their journey.
Individuals with cancer rely on a variety of resources when trying to identify treatment options and determine their best course of treatment. They consult with physicians and nurses, read journals, search the internet and speak with friends, family members, clergy etc. One of the most helpful tools in their journey for a cancer patient is a notebook, where they maintain anything from a question and answer section, a place for note taking, lab results, surgical reports and medication lists. Patients usually find it beneficial to have a trusted individual present at each appointment for support, assistance with note taking, recalling information and to ask the forgotten questions. With these notebooks in hand at each appointment, any necessary paperwork is available at their fingertips. Having a support person at appointments allows patients to review missed information that could potentially affect their decisions. When a patient is at a new point in their treatment, they often refer to their notebooks to review prior medications and side effects and to check their response to each medication used. Each of these is necessary in deciding what to do next.
At weSPARK, we host support groups for patients at various stages in their cancer journey, during which, these types of issues are discussed. weSPARK facilitators are unable to offer medical advice. However, patients have the opportunity to discuss their feelings about making these kinds of decisions and what impacts their decisions along the way. In these groups, guests learn they are not alone in this difficult journey, and appear to feel comforted in hearing how others have reached their decisions.
For more information, weSPARK is located at 26370 Diamond Place Suite 507, or call
661-288-2322. Ask for Lori Crawford and always remember all of weSPARK services are designed to help those affected by cancer, their families and friends free of charge.