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About
MACS Support Group: Questions and Answers
People
diagnosed with
cancer anywhere in the world face many challenges that may leave
them feeling overwhelmed, afraid and alone. If diagnosis or
treatment takes place in another country this is an added
difficulty to cope with ie; not being native can cause added
stresses and this is why we are working to ease these problems.
These challenges can be overcome by meeting others - as even to
talk to the most supportive family members and friends is not
always enough. Often, Support Groups can help people affected by
cancer feel less alone and can improve their ability to deal
with the uncertainties and challenges that cancer brings.
Support groups give people who are affected by similar diseases
and under taking treatments an opportunity to meet and discuss
ways to cope.
1.
How can MACS support group help?
People who have been
diagnosed with cancer sometimes find they need assistance coping
with the emotional, as well as the practical aspects of their
disease and when you live in a foreign country this may seem so
very far away. In fact, attention to the emotional burden of
cancer is sometimes part of a patient’s treatment plan. As a
cancer support group we are designed to provide a confidential
atmosphere where cancer patients or cancer survivors can discuss
the challenges that accompany the illness with others who may
have experienced the same challenges. For example, people gather
to discuss the emotional needs created by cancer, to exchange
information about their disease - including practical problems
such as managing side effects, translation issues, understanding
paperwork and the systems in a different country or, for many
returning to work after treatment here in Spain and to share
their feelings of course. Support groups have helped thousands
of people cope with these and similar situations and we hope to
help as many of those who need it here in Spain
2.
Can family members and friends participate in support
groups?
Family and friends
are affected when cancer touches someone they love and they may
need help in dealing with stresses such as family disruptions,
financial worries and changing roles within relationships. To
help meet these needs, MACS support group meetings for Patients
and Survivors are designed to be there too, just for family
members/partners/carers of people diagnosed with cancer; we do
encourage participation in their own way, sometimes just a quiet
chat with someone who knows what it is like to live and care for
someone with cancer can help a partner or carer feel less alone.
Doctors/Medicos or local hospitals who work with cancer patients
may also have information about support groups, such as their
location, size, type and how often they meet.
3.
What types of support groups are MACS?
We offer different
parts of support to our group, which we hope will meet the
individual needs of people at all stages of cancer treatment or
remissions, from diagnosis through to follow up care and social
support. The MACS group offer much to those that may feel they
not only want to use the support network but may be ready to
contribute and participate in the support side themselves
(talking to others), but also in fundraising and social
activities. In addition, like a lot of other support groups we
can vary in size and how often we meet, but we do like to make
sure we cater for everyone and at present we always meet
monthly. It is important for people to find an atmosphere that
is comfortable and meets their individual needs, so some people
may see each other privately, making friends here in Spain which
is very supportive.
4.
Who
funds MACS?
MACS Support is
funded from the community in Spain. Non profit making and all
monies created stay here, helping the people who need it most.
MACS is a registered charity and works under the umbrella of
“Cancer Support Group”. All accounts are audited by Mrs.
Jacqui Phillips MBE. Who has herself created cancer support
groups here in Spain.
INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT HOW A
CANCER SUPPORT GROUP CAN HELP YOU……
Cancer support groups can be
incredibly helpful if you have been diagnosed with cancer; but
it hasn't always been that way.
A little more than a decade ago, the
concept of emotional support as an important part of a cancer
patient's treatment was considered radical. But then, in 1989, a
doctor, David Spiegel, M.D., published a landmark study in the
medical journal The Lancet. He reported that a group of 18
patients with advanced cancer who attended weekly support group
meetings lived twice as long as 18 patients with the same
diagnosis who did not participate in support groups.
Even though the study has had its
critics, and the exact findings related to survival have not yet
been replicated, Spiegel's report triggered a movement to
provide emotional support, usually in the form of support group
meetings, for all cancer patients who want it. These days, it is
easier to find support groups, if you live in your own country.
Many studies on support groups have
found that regular attendance can boost quality of life, calm
anxiety and make patients more active and in control of their
care. MACS aim is to offer a variety of interests (ideas usually
generated from members of the group) and also small tips like
…..
JOURNALING FOR WELLNESS
Keeping a diary or journal can provide a way to make sense of
what often feels like the incomprehensible. Writing and
recording can create a mental and emotional record of valuable
information that may have gone unnoticed without the distance
that reflexive writing affords.
NUTRITION AND A PROPER DIET
A proper diet is your ally for cancer patients undergoing
treatment, although you may not always feel like eating. The
right food can go a long way toward alleviating
treatment-related symptoms, such as fatigue and weight loss and
will help your body bounce back once treatment is over. Proper
nutrition is a crucial factor in your cancer therapy, as your
body needs plenty of calories and protein to heal, fight
infections and withstand chemotherapy and radiation. MACS aim to
offer guidance on nutrition through professionals working here
in Spain.
PSYCHE
Cancer is one of those life crises that can provide new meaning
and purpose in life. But that comes later. Awaiting the
diagnosis and hearing the news can be the most emotionally
difficult period of the entire cancer experience. MACS can offer
assistance of counseling
in your own language, should you feel the need to talk to
someone and do not have sufficient language skills for this
nature of support. Counseling is available
privately and with “Salud” here in Spain free of charge, but
not always available in your native tongue.
STRESS
When it comes to life’s stresses, cancer is certainly one of
the most traumatic. Over time, the strain of coping with your
diagnosis and the realities of treatment will probably be
compounded by other stresses, such as keeping up with work and
dealing with the worries of family and friends. To avoid the
additional stress brought about with confusion over the
communication and systems of another culture or country, MACS
can help you.
Apart from
having to cope with the physical and medical challenges, people
with cancer face many worries, feelings and concerns unique to
their situation. Cancer patients may find they need help coping
with the emotional, as well as the practical aspects of their
disease. In fact, attention to the emotional burden of having
cancer is often a part of a patient's treatment plan. MACS can
provide access to the most current information regarding
available treatments and their side effects through support from
Cancer Support in the UK. MACS provide a setting in which cancer
patients can talk about living with cancer with others who may
be having similar experiences. Many also find our useful basic
information fact sheets and booklet very helpful, as we have
noted that some languages are not catered for in some hospitals
here in Spain – we are hoping that along with awareness of the
group, also comes change within the medical profession to cater
not only with the excellent medical attention they provide
already, but to also increase care and accessibility in general,
whether Spanish or of another nationality.
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