Charting Your Course : Teach Charting Your Course : Seminar II - Facilitator's Guide

Participant Material for Seminar II
Evaluation Form for Seminar II

It would be helpful for a nutritionist specializing in cancer care to make a presentation. Also if a hospital or clinic financial aid specialist is available that person could make a brief presentation or answer questions about how private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid work.

Materials

flip chart and markers
large pieces of drawing paper and a bundle or markers, crayons, or colored pencils for each participant
masking tape
several sheets of paper for each participant
pamphlets or brochures on nutrition if your clinic or hospital can provide them.
copies of the list of "sense of control" items compiled in the previous session

Objectives

Consider financial issues
Consider complementary therapies and providers
Access information about nutrition
Identify a support network including medical caregivers
Identify personally useful community resources

Opening

Is there anything from the last session people want to talk about or have questions about?
Hand out a copy of the sense of personal control list generated in the previous seminar.
List the objectives of this session
Discussion points:
What do you feel best about that you have done since our last session to cope with your illness?
What is the best thing that has happened to you since our last meeting?

Financial Issues

If a hospital or clinic social worker is available, he she might make a brief presentation on this topic.
Refer to seminar materials: Seminar II, Financial Issues. Give the group an opportunity to discuss what they may find confusing in dealing with their insurance.

Complementary Therapies

Most people count on some complementary therapies for their health and well-being. Those therapies might be vitamins, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustment or other homeopathic or naturopathic treatments. Most people do not share this information with their physicians.

It is often very important, particularly when dealing with a serious illness, that complementary therapies be coordinated with the medication and treatment provided by the physician. There are instances where complementary treatments might actually counteract the effects of other medications or where western medications might counteract the effects of alternative treatments. All of the healthcare providers should be made aware of any other providers the patient is seeing, and of what other treatments are being used.
Exercise:
In order to clarify all of your present treatments, from vitamin supplements to chemotherapy, take the time now to list them. Also write down what results you are aware of from using them.
Having made your list, be sure to share the information with all of your providers.
Discussion points:
What have you tried and how successful was it?
What have you heard about but not tried?

Nutrition

Have a nutritionist specializing in cancer patients make a presentation to the group. Display books, pamphlets and other materials on cancer nutrition. Tell people where they can find these materials: at the hospital, local library, on the Internet. If a specialist is not available, try searching PDQ (a database maintained by the National Cancer Institute) at cancernet.nci.nih.gov for up-to-date information to distribute to participants.

Support Network

In our emphasis on personal strength and independence, many of us forget that we are part of a network of support. We spend a good bit of our time helping others and we may need to remind ourselves that others are happy to help us out when we need it. In times of challenge and stress, it may be our turn to accept that help and support.
Exercise:
For this exercise, each person will need a large piece of paper and a bundle of magic markers or crayons or colored pencils.
Depict yourself and your support network
Place yourself in the center
Identify others in your life who support you
Use color and shape to describe relationships and how well you can count on them
Be playful
If practical, post the drawings with masking tape
Have each person briefly describe what they drew
Discussion points:
Who else would you like support from?
Is there anyone you forgot to put in your drawing?
How easy is it for you to ask for support?
Are there ways you can help people to be more supportive of you?
Exercise:
Now make a list of helpful things that other people might do for you at this time. The more concrete and specific the items on your list, the easier it may be to ask for and receive the help you want.
These suggestions came out of the pilot workshop:

Transportation
Housecleaning
Read to me while in chemotherapy
Meals
Helping with responsibilities i.e. taking care of parents
Picking up mail
Flowers
Invitations
Supportive co-workers cover the details
Yard work
Shopping
Walking the dog, visiting & listening
Donations of wigs, turbans, hats
Help on the Internet

Useful Resources

Discuss briefly available community resources:

Library/Librarians
Computers- Internet
Any complementary/alternative health services in the area
Hospital or clinic library
Hospital or clinic social worker
See seminar materials for national organizations.

Discussion points:
What needs are still to be met?
Where else can people turn for assistance?

Closing

Are there any comments or questions on this session?

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This content is derived from the "Charting Your Course Seminars: A Whole Person Approach To Living With Cancer", provided by Norris Cotton Cancer Center.