How to Develop a Cancer Support Group

Whether you need support for your own condition, or you are looking for a group to help a friend, a cancer support group can be a very important part of maintaining a positive attitude. However, finding a support group in the right area that meets at the right time for you may not always be possible. There is no reason you can't start your own cancer support group to help you get the advocacy you need.

Instructions

Starting Your Support Group

• 1

  Find a national cancer support group. It will be able to help you with advice and information packets on starting your own group. Visit other types of support groups in your area and ask for group literature to get ideas on developing your literature. Speak with the organizers of the groups you visit. Ask them for details about how they started their groups and any problems they encountered.

• 2

  Speak with medical professionals who specialize in cancer treatments. Ask them for details about problems specific to cancer sufferers and advice on helpful elements to include in your support group. Ask for referrals to therapists specializing in cancer and similar conditions to seek advice on the most effective ways your group can address the emotional needs of your members. Request information on who to contact if one of your members shows signs of severe depression.

• 3

  Connect with individuals interested in helping you organize and run your cancer support group. Post leaflets with your name and contact information requesting people who are interested in helping with a cancer support group. Request permission to post your leaflets on hospital bulletin boards, at libraries, and in civic centers. Choose a group of organizers to help you distribute the workload.

• 4

  Hold planning meetings with your fellow organizers. Decide on rules for your members and create guidelines for donations. Assign tasks to members of the committee. Assign organizers to write the group's literature, find a location and publicize your meetings. Create a schedule with a specific time line for when each task should be done. Look for places your group can use for free, like churches, schools or hospitals.

• 5

  Prepare for your first meeting. According to the Self-Help Group Sourcebook, "Chairs should be arranged in a circle and avoid a lecture set-up." Greet your new members and hand out the literature for your cancer support group. Give members an idea of the meeting layout and the rules you and your organizers developed. Set an end time for your meetings and stick with it, so people know not to ignore time constraints when relating an experience.