Starting a support group

[Becky]

The American Cancer Society can help you big time with this and also provide direction and advice. However, I do believe that you need to be trained as a "Reach for Recovery" volunteer. This is a 9 hour training (over 2 days) and you could then also be given names of people who call the ACS for help.


I am awaiting training at the next one given in Northern NJ. The support group I go to is ACS sponsered and our 2 group leaders are Reach for Recovery trained volunteer survivors.

Just a thought on how to get help and information as not all support groups are ACS sponsered.

Kind regards


Becky

[jsattaw]

Hi Sassy --

I started a cancer support group in my rural area (population 1500) in January. While open to all types of cancer survivors, we mostly have breast cancer survivors attending. We meet once each month (3rd Saturday) at a local coffee shop that has a private room available to groups.

I've utilized some materials from the Lance Armstrong, Live Strong Foundation -- they have 3-ring Survivor binders that are free (you have to pay shipping) and lots of other information available on survivorship. I also have been intenting to contact our local Komen affiliate to see if they have any community grants available that could defray costs of speakers, education materials, etc. but haven't yet had a chance to follow-up with them.

Our group is working with our local library to make publications and books available and support those newly diagnosed, going through treatment, and beyond. We also attend other events in the area together (e.g. Race for the Cure, Relay for Life, etc.).

We are about 45 miles from our cancer center that has nutritionists and therapists -- they have been very willing to provide us with information and/or a guest speaker but since we're so new we are just focusing on peer support right now. We've had a good response from the community and I think it's been especially useful for people who are newly diagnosed to know there's people who have been through it and are there to assist.

Good luck with your group.

Jill

[Sheila]

Sassy
I forgot to say that our group has also started a library of books that can be checked out from the hospital we meet at....we donate the books, all having to do with breast cancer, some humorous and some serious and more medical...this has been a great resource for anyone wanting to read up and at no expense. We have a couple of women who are trained reach to recovery volunteers, and go visit patients. The hospital and womens health section has been very supportive of us and getting us involved with newly diagnosed "just to let them know that we are available."

[Ginagce]

Bless you for reaching out to others who are new to our "world".

The Living Beyond Breast Cancer group has a wonderful toolkit to create a support group. Check it out.

www.lbbc.org

Ginagce