Support Services Newsletter October 2020

Support Services Update

It has been so lovely to see our clients coming into our centres for appointment-based support in the past month. We are very excited to announce that we are now also resuming some of our face to face complementary therapy programs – see below for more detail.

In November, applications will open for our Seize the Day Educational Scholarships, supporting young Tasmanians aged 16 – 25 who have been impacted by cancer and will be undertaking post-secondary education in 2021. For more information, please contact Sarah on 1300 65 65 85 or sdejonge@cancertas.org.au

We offer the following Support Services:

- Individual Support

- Support Groups

- Complementary Therapy Programs

- Financial Assistance

- transport2treatment

- Wig Library

- Pro-Bono Program for free legal, financial and business advice (means tested)

- Support for Under 25s

Complementary Therapy Programs in October

We have some wonderful complementary therapy programs commencing in October, all focused around increasing your wellbeing while you deal with the challenges of your cancer diagnosis. Programs you can register for will include Mindfulness (South), Tai Chi (all regions), Mindful Compassion (north). All of these programs are face to face, taking place in our Support Centres. We are also offering a state-wide online Pilates program via Zoom.

Please note that there are eligibility criteria for some programs and spaces are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you would like to know more about any of these programs, please call 1300 65 65 85.

Wig Library

Our wig library is a free service for people experiencing hair loss as a side effect of cancer treatment. If you have borrowed a wig from our wig library which you are no longer using, please return it to us so we can clean it and offer it to someone else who is experiencing hair loss as a result of their cancer treatment. If you have a wig to donate or return, please call us to have a chat about the best way to get it to us.

Client Story

Valerie (pictured above, with Stan in the Devonport Centre) has been kind enough to share her cancer experience with us. Val retired in 1985 after working at the local post office for over 35 years; she is also her husband Keith’s carer.

In 1994, Val was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and underwent a partial mastectomy. As time went by, Val also had a pace maker placed on her right side. She was living a happy and healthy life until November 2019, when she discovered a little lump and within days was back in the hospital being treated for stage 4 breast cancer. She was dumbfounded, as she thought that she had closed the cancer chapter of her life 35 years ago.

Val was treated with chemotherapy and radiation, spending 15 days in the Mersey Hospital in Latrobe and losing over 5kg. She lost all of her taste and struggled to stomach any solid foods. Val has since made a full recovery from her operation and completed her radiation therapy.

When Keith is in hospital for treatment, Val gets to visit him once a week; combining it with her own cancer treatment. Most of Val and Keith’s family live on the mainland; they have three grandchildren and have recently welcomed their first great grandchild.

Val has been very thankful for the services that Cancer Council Tasmania deliver. She has made use of our wig library and wears her stunning wig with great pride. With no family living close by, and with husband Keith in the hospital, Val has also made use of the transport2treatment service for all of her cancer treatment appointments.

We thank Val for being so brave and sharing her story. She also features in our Women’s 5K Walk/Run promotional video, with her powerful contribution to show our wig services.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11hBkPB4d1I&t=10s

Cancer Council Tasmania has its First Op Shop!

Our very own Clothes 4 Cancer Op Shop is open in East Devonport, and what an amazing response we have had to this new venture. Our first day saw people lining up outside to wait their turn to go in! If you are looking to declutter your house and/or wardrobe then please consider donating to our Op Shop. Donations are accepted at the shop Mondays – Fridays from 10:00am – 4pm 15 – 27 Murray St, East Devonport.

Community Services which might be helpful

Walking Through Grief offers a mutual support network for people who are bereaved following the death of a family member or friend from a life limiting illness. Walks take place fortnightly on Wednesday mornings for about an hour and there is no cost to join. The walks are led and organised by a Coordinator and experienced palliative care volunteers. The group provides a chance to talk, enjoy some fresh air and gentle exercise and finish at a café for coffee. For more information please call 6777 4544 and ask to speak to Leanne Barton, Coordinator, Walking Through Grief
CanTeen have a series of Community Education video resources available, including this one about Parenting through Illness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH9FW7MPptQ&t=8s
Lung Cancer Australia offers a range of supports for people diagnosed with lung cancer including peer support groups run by teleconference – you can find out more here: https://lungfoundation.com.au/patients-carers/living-with-a-lung-disease/lung-cancer/support/