Support

Family Life

From Cancer.Net Cancer doesn’t affect just one person. Cancer affects couples, families, and friends. The complex feelings and lifestyle changes that follow a cancer diagnosis can be almost as overwhelming for family members and friends as they are for the person with cancer. Cancer changes the way you relate to your family and friends, and [...]

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Offering Support

How can I be supportive? Remember that the person you know with cancer may find it hard to ask for help or may seem vulnerable. Telling a person, “You’re so brave,” or “You’re so strong,” can put pressure on them to be strong when they may not feel up to it. Families can put subtle [...]

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Dig Deeper, Get Happier

From www.RealAge.com When you sit down to chat over coffee with a friend, spend a few minutes digging deeper than TV and the weather. Why? Because doing so just might make you happier. Research shows that when people’s socialization focuses on important issues and personal interests, a greater level of personal happiness may be the [...]

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Listen Up!

from www.Carepages.com When someone you care about needs to talk, one of the best ways you can show compassion is to offer a supportive ear. Good listening skills build social support and connect you deeper with the world around you. Try these five tips to sharpen your listening IQ. Be present – Now’s the time [...]

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Social Networks for Cancer Patients and Their Families Offer Hope, Inspiration, Even Treatment

by Sarah Perry, The Dallas Morning News August 24, 2010 The first thing you notice about the baby is her eyes. Bright and sparkling, they stare at you from every wall in Jenny Scott’s office. But the most captivating picture of Allie Scott is tucked inside a silver charm around her mother’s neck. The charm [...]

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Make a Happy-Friend Date

from www.RealAge.com This weekend, have lunch with a good-natured pal. It could have far-reaching benefits for your mental health. Research confirms — and quantifies — it. Your chances of becoming happy increase by at least 15 percent if someone in your immediate social circle is happy. Ripple Effect Yep, it seems that happy people can [...]

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Everyone Needs Help Avoiding Burnout

by Steve Slon, Hearst Newspapers November 7, 2010 “There’s a mental health crisis in this country, and the problem is largely being ignored,” says Lily Sarafan, co-author of Happy to 102: The Best Kept Secrets to a Long and Happy Life. “Studies show that 40-70 percent of caregivers have clinically significant levels of depression,” Sarafan [...]

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When a Friend Needs a Hand, How You Give is as Important as What You Give

By Kyle Wagner,The Denver Post Sometimes the phone call is good news. It’s a boy or it’s a girl — or maybe both. The surgery was a success. The loved one is coming home. Sometimes, though, the news is not so good. The lump is malignant. The cancer is back. They’ve done everything they can. [...]

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Top tips for caregivers during the holidays

By Alicia Di Rado, www.cityofhope.org Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday, long-distance trips to grandma’s house and elaborate family dinners, the holidays can be a tough time for many. For those caring for a family member in treatment for cancer or another serious condition, the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day can be even more [...]

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For Cancer Patients, Empathy Goes a Long Way

By Denise Grady Four years ago, my sister found out she had two types of cancer at the same time. It was like being hit by lightning — twice. She needed chemotherapy and radiation, a huge operation, more chemotherapy and then a smaller operation. All in all, the treatment took about a year. Thin to [...]

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