'Tis the Season... But What if You're Not Jolly?

For most people, the winter holiday season is a time of coming together with family and friends to celebrate. We share laughter and memories and look forward hopefully to the coming year. For people who are in cancer treatment or have recently lost someone to the disease, the season can be less than joyful.

Cancer patients typically struggle with exhaustion and self-image and may be hesitant to do the things during the holiday season that they would normally do like shopping or hosting get-togethers. This can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness even when a person seems to be surrounded by people who care about them.

Patients need to be reminded that although treatment can be a long process, there is an end in sight. For some patients, that end is only a few weeks after their diagnosis, for others, it may be a couple of years down the road.

For patients in Northwest Arkansas, emotional support is a phone call away. Our licensed social workers provide individuals and families with counseling and support to help them get through the difficulties that come with cancer treatment.

Individuals who are still grieving someone who lost their battle with cancer can find it difficult to find joy in the first holiday season spent without their loved-one. If you know someone who has experienced a loss this year, reach out to them to offer your companionship as you are comfortable. Getting out to do a little shopping, or simply having dinner and sharing some memories of holidays past can help them move through the final stages of grief.

The Schmieding Center in Springdale is hosting a workshop on December 11 that will deal specifically with coping with grief during the holiday season. For more information on the workshop and to get registered, contact Circle of Life Hospice at751-3043 ext. 228.

You don't have to go it alone!

This month we are focusing on things that you as a cancer patient or caregiver can do to relieve some of the stress and pressure and emotional pain that can accompany the holidays. If you are located near us in lovely Northwest Arkansas, here's a great selection of groups that might be helpful to you as you look for some support for your journey:

Blood Cancers Support Group meets at our office in Springdale the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Contact Jessica Minton, LCSW at 479-361-5847.

Breast Cancer Support Group meets at the Cancer Support Home in Bentonville the 2nd Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Contact Susan Earnest, RN at 479-521-8024.

Coping and Conversation is for anyone with a cancer diagnosis and their caregivers. They meet at the Cancer Support Home in Fayetteville every Wednesday at noon. Call 479-521-8024 for more information.

Faithful Friends is a breast cancer support group that meets on the 3rd Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. Contact Dee Williams at 479-756-9172.

Lung Cancer Group is open to patients with lung cancer and their caregivers. It meets the third Thursday of each month at Highlands Oncology Group at 5:00 p.m. Contact us at 479-361-5847 or Lisa at Highlands Oncology Group at 479-587-1700.

Prostate Cancer Support Group supports men diagnosed with prostate cancer and their partners. They meet at the Community Church in Bella Vista the 4th Tuesday of every month at 4:00 p.m. Contact Dianne Krolikowski at 479-855-1126.

Reach to Recovery is a program administered by the American Cancer Society. They offer assistance to women undergoing breast cancer surgery. Contact Martha Green at 479-750-2493.

SPOHNC (Support for People with Oral, Head & Neck Cancer) This non-profit organization is dedicated to meeting the emotional, physical and humanistic needs of oral, head and neck cancer patients and their caregivers. They meet the 3rd Saturday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at the Fayetteville Cancer Support Home. Contact Jack Igleburger at 479-876-1051 or 479-586-4807.

Be a Spirit Jumper!

It's hard to believe that it's already February! The holidays have passed and the new year is well under way. Every day our social workers are meeting with new patients at Highlands Oncology Group. Last year they met with 3 of every 4 patients who received treatment at Highland's. We're so pleased to have made those important connections and our goal is to beat that number this year.

When Jessica, Christy and Miki meet with those new patients they usually find that they have many questions or concerns stemming from their cancer diagnosis. Many of them have a great support system standing by to help them cope with their emotional and financial needs as they make the journey down the road to recovery, but very often they do not. Even if they are fairly comfortable with the treatments they are receiving or their financial situation, though, it's likely they struggle with internal fears and bouts of depression that are natural for anyone in their situation.

We recently found a great non-clinical grassroots program that addresses these feelings of depression and you can get involved to help! When Meaghan was diagnosed in 2007 with end-stage cancer she was given a 20% chance of survival. But not only has she survived, but she also just completed law school!! Meaghan and her friend Stacy (who is currently battling melanoma) have created a wonderful blog, and associated service, called Spirit Jump. The mission of these two wonderful ladies is to connect caring people to people who need some emotional support. They accept submissions of names of people dealing with a cancer diagnosis and add them to their list, then they match them with folks who have contacted them to say "who can I help?".

Meaghan's personal story (you can read it here on her blog) describes how the little notes and gifts she received almost every day during her lengthy hospital stays kept her spirits up, and were a constant - and crucial - reminder that she was being prayed for and was loved... and it made a huge difference in her attitude. She wants to give that same inspiration and encouragement to others who are going through the same process. It's not always easy to remain optimistic when a patient is dealing with dozens of pills, tests, scans, nausea, anxiety... and the smallest gesture can have a huge impact.

Check out their site, and consider joining this wonderful effort. It only takes a few moments to send a card, and the emotional benefit for a cancer patient would be tremendous.