RESIDENTS affected by cancer can now receive help in planning for life after treatment, with a free, two-week Cancer Wellness program coming to Swan Hill and Kerang in August.
The Cancer Council Victoria program is run by local health professional to assist those affected by cancer in making the change to life after treatment and finding a “new normal”. Topics that are covered in the program include adjusting to physical and emotional changes after treatment, working with your GP to adopt a healthy lifestyle, strategies for managing fatigue and other challenges, and connecting to support services in the community.
An average of 240 people in the Swan Hill and Gannawarra shire areas are diagnosed with cancer each year.
Cancer Council Victoria’s head of cancer information and support services Katherine Lane said the designed to help cancer survivors adapt to life after their treatment.
“We often speak with people affected by cancer who share how challenging it is to return to their lives after their treatment ends,” Ms Lane said.
“Finding a ‘new normal’ I physically and emotionally complex, so we’re looking forward to continuing to support individuals impacted by cancer through the process.”
One recent participant said they became involved in the program because “things didn’t just fall back into place like they were before I got sick”.
“This program helped me deal with changes in my life at home and at work. It made me realise I wasn’t the only one feeling a bit overwhelmed,” they said.
The two week program will commence on Thursday August 31 at the Swan Hill and Kerang District Health services. To register for the program or to find out more about it, contact Emma Brown at ebrown@shdh.org.au or Cindy Boyd at cboyd@kdh.org.au.
