In my previous post, I said cancer can seriously harm a family. That certainly is true in terms of the cost of money and quality of life, even if the person goes into remission. However, many times a family will rally around the cancer patient; estranged family members put aside differences, families tighten their belts to ensure treatment is an option, the cancer, and the possible loss of a life supersedes all petty things (most of the time). Then, if the time comes where nothing more can be done, like it did for my grandmother, who died a few years ago on Good Friday from metastasized breast cancer, the family is united in grief to try to fill that void the cancer carved out.
Relay for Life does not just help fund all varieties of cancer research, it helps families cope with the cost of care. This organization helps survivors, like my Uncle who is in remission from Hodgkin's lymphoma, live a little better life as they grow stronger day by day. Our team effort put forth by the Pill Pushers helps those family "teams" to have access to care support and grief groups. This is why I Relay.
Matthew Lewis
PharmD Candidate Class of 2012
related links:
Peer Support Network- one of many help groups for caregivers, patients, and survivors. You can also find groups using the American Cancer Society webpages, Livestrong, and from Google searches (http://peersupportnetwork.org/)
Here's a page highlighting breast cancer support groups in particular all around Michigan. (http://www.karmanos.org/detroitraceforthecure/support.asp)
A news story about one boy and his "team". Link not posted to avoid spoilers.
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