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BY MEG SHREVE
Medill News Service | Friday, January 27, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
When Sherlane Garnett was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago, she had a hard time talking about her illness even with her children.
Recovering, she wanted to reach out and offer help to other women who shared her experience.
The Hammond resident finally joined the Chicago chapter of the Sisters Network Inc., a national support organization for black breast cancer survivors that holds group meetings and hosts events and speakers.
For women dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, support groups can be an invaluable tool in dealing with the disease.
"You might have your friends and close family," Garnett said. "But, it's not like talking to someone who has had the experience."
At meetings members talk about mutual concerns. Topics can range from how they were treated by doctors or area hospitals to how to talk to your children about the disease, Garnett said.
But some survivors and experts agree that support groups don't fit everyone's needs.
Face-to-face support groups typically involve patients confiding about the progression of treatment, feelings about the disease or how the disease impacts family relationships and finances. Discussing these problems in public can seem overwhelming for some people.
"Certain things that work for some patients, don't work for all patients," said Dr. Patricia Madej, medical director of the Hinsdale Hospital Breast Care Center.
When Carolyn Grela, Madej's business office manager, was diagnosed with breast cancer last April she reached out to friends and family -- calling 40 women in all -- and asked them for their prayers and support.
Grela said she did not join a support group because she felt she didn't have the time for meetings. And though she supports the idea of belonging to a support group, she connected with others through a series of long e-mails she sent out to close friends and family.
Grela chronicled her thoughts and feelings in e-mails to those 40 women as she progressed through her treatment. In all, she sent out about seven group e-mails and reaped in messages of support.
Some patients may not feel comfortable talking about their diagnosis in a group meeting and may look for other outlets to deal with the disease.
"It's not a one-size support process," said Gail Mitchell, program director for Gilda's Club of Chicago. Gilda's Club was started in 1995 in New York in honor of comedian Gilda Radner who died of ovarian cancer in 1989.
It is a national organization that provides free support groups, classes and events for cancer patients and their families.
Almost 20 percent of the club's members live in the suburbs, Mitchell said. The Chicago club offers not only monthly support groups for patients and family members, but provides classes that include yoga, mediation and ceramics.
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