How to Find a Throat Cancer Support Group

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, roughly 41,000 people will be diagnosed with throat cancer this year. Being told that you have the disease isn't welcome news. But joining a throat cancer support group presents the opportunity to share resources, offers encouragement and eases the struggle of coping day to day while living with cancer.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Recognize that a support system is multi-dimensional and takes forms ranging from weekly meetings to online chat sessions. To that end, engage those people closest to you to help with your daily responsibilities.

2. Designate someone to be your emotional supporter. This could be a spouse, parent, child or close friend, depending on your situation. The role of the emotional supporter is to communicate medical information to other family members, as well as your specific needs to medical personnel. This person may also help you with treatment decisions.

3. Appoint an organizer to help gather family history, arrange transportation to medical appointments, handle insurance coverage issues and establish a system of record keeping for your cancer treatment.

4. Elect a patient advocate as part of your support team. This person makes sure you maintain an active role in your treatment and can advocate on your behalf.

5. Find a local support group through the Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer Web site's Online Resources page (see "Resources" below).

6. Follow up by attending regular meetings, sharing your experiences and supporting others. Offering others a shoulder to lean on could improve your own mental health and aid in your recovery.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that reaching out to a support group isn't a sign of weakness--it's a validation of the power of human bonding.
• Cancer doesn't discriminate or observe boundaries and neither should your support system. Consider joining a national throat cancer support group in addition to a regional chapter.
• Ask your oncologist if he can recommend a specific throat cancer support group.
• Depression is commonly experienced during cancer diagnosis and treatment. If this occurs, make your physician aware of it and ask about medications that can help you feel more like yourself again.
• Make sure you comply with HIPAA requirements by signing the appropriate medical information releases ahead of time, in the event that you are unable to make medical decisions for yourself.

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