Cancer Support groups

[BB1955]

Does anyone know of a cancer support group in Chiangmai 

[orang37]

There are so many types of cancer, with so many different etiologies, varying symptoms, prognosis, treatment modalities, etc., that a "cancer support group" ... well, what did you have in mind ?

 

The realities and needs and concerns of people just diagnosed, or staged, are really different than the realities of those being treated and dealing with chemo, radiation, and/or surgery, facing limits to mobility and health.

 

And, the needs and concerns of people post-treatment struggling to resume their former ways of life, possibly deaking with relapse: different.

 

I once worked for the American Cancer Society as a field-researcher, interviewing 40 families where each family had more than person with cancer. Transcribing those interviews ... taught me to avoid generalities about "cancer."

 

A famous essay by scientist Stephen J. Gould, "The Median is not the Message:" has helped many people think more clearly about diagnosis, prognosis, and "survival/recurrence" statistics: Gould's Essay

 

imho,  a "support group" has to have institutional sponsorship and support, and has to have limits on the types of clientele to have any chance for cohesion. I exclude here groups based on some religious/addiction recovery, etc,. agenda,

 

Support groups for families of people with cancer have been very effective.

 

best wishes ~o:37;