Programs 2014
1. Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Support Group
Hope and Friendship offers a FREE caring and confidential support group for women and men with a diagnosis of Metastatic Breast Cancer (Stage IV) in northeastern Massachusetts, including the Merrimack Valley and the North Shore. Patients share their stories or simply listen to others–they are not alone! Our meetings offe
r enriching activities and topics. We practice relaxation and share resources from our growing multi-media library. We learn how to integrate exercise and healthy eating into our treatments, and we explore the role of spirituality in illness. Sometimes, there are guest leaders like art and music therapists, meditation guides, Reiki, and gentle yoga practitioners. At the end of just one support group meeting, a patient is noticeably transformed. They come in with the "deer in the headlights" look, crying, or looking at the floor. By the end of their first meeting, however, they report being grateful to have found us, are chatty, embracing new friends, looking a little more confident, state they have found hope and are looking forward to the next meeting. Each meeting thereafter, the transformation continues until our most recently joined member is now herself/himself the new welcoming committee for incoming newbees. Herein is where the rewards lie: offering new friends, empowerment, self-advocacy and hope. Our participants report their support group experiences provide: decreased feelings of anxiety, fear and isolation; better coping skills for managing a terminal cancer diagnosis and its impact on daily life; improved relationships with family members and friends; increased knowledge about Stage IV breast cancer, including the latest treatments, clinical trials and related side effects; new friendships; and hope for the future. For these reasons, patients renew their memberships in the support group, speak openly about our group on printed and social media, refer new patients and spread the word to their friends, families, communities, and health care providers.
2. Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation Symptom Management Program
This program has only been underway for a few months and Hope and Friendship has provided many symptom relieving treatments, and has purchased a portable, transferrable wheelchair ramp. We have recognized the high need for cost-prohibitive services and are very pleased with the numbers of women and men participating in our FREE program. This program improves patients' and families' experiences with metastatic breast cancer by keeping the patient more comfortable, letting her/him know they are not forgotten, and that they are cared for are cared for. Patients, and their family members, feel better when their symptoms are being treated, report they look forward to their next complementary therapy appointments, and are grateful to have immediate access to a wheelchair ramp when needed. We support the treatment of the whole person and the promotion of their well-being. Patients with breast cancer suffer symptoms of pain, side effects, inordinate amounts of stress, and are emotionally distraught. Complementary therapies including massage, reflexology, acupuncture, Reiki, and others provide needed relief. These treatments are not covered by health insurance.
3. Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarship Program
The Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarship Program provides FREE scholarships for patients to attend national breast cancer conferences. Our scholarships include registration, transportation and accommodations. In recent years, our foundation has provided patients with the following scholarships:
September 2014--2 Scholarships to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. March 2014--2 Scholarships to the CAM4Cancer Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida. September 2013--1 Scholarship to the MBCN 7th Annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference in Houston, Texas. Upon return from national conferences, patients share their updates with the support group members, their own support systems and the communities. Patients share the updates in breast cancer care including current and new treatments, the latest research, ongoing clinical trials and new strategies coming down the pike. It is a great learning opportunity for all. I "learned so much, made friends and found new hope for the future" is how patients often describe their conference experiences. Cancer is a financially burdensome disease. Our scholarship program offers opportunities for patients to become experts in managing their disease, symptoms, side effects and life-styles. The conferences are oriented to patients, and their families, and are taught by national leaders in the fields of breast cancer.
4. Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation Retreat Program
The Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation Retreat Program is FREE and offers educational seminars, workshops, respite activities, brainstorming for the future, relationship strengthening, enlightenment, and creativity. Our first retreat was held in June 2014, hosted by our support group facilitator consultant, was amazingly received, and highly effective. Our first retreat was held at Rolling Ridge in North Andover and included all organic meals. During breaks, each patient had a massage, acupuncture, reflexology or Reiki treatment. The topic was an educational and participatory workshop on the national "5 Wishes--Dying with Dignity" program. Cancer patients want to be well-prepared for what comes next. They don't want to be a burden to their loved ones after they have passed. They want to make arrangements ahead of time and have their inner most desires known. The "5 Wishes" are:
1. The Person I Want to Make Decisions for Me When I Can't.
2. The Kind of Medical Treatment I Want or Don't Want.
3. How Comfortable I Want to Be.
4. How I Want People to Treat Me.
5. What I Want my Loved Ones to Know.
95% of our support group members attended our first retreat and a high number of patients completed their workbooks within two weeks of our "5 Wishes--Dying with Dignity" retreat, according to reports from the patients. In addition, the workbook topics have been brought up freely by support group members at our meetings for further discussion. The retreat created a deepened relationship amongst support group members, and with the facilitation and chaplaincy consultant. Patients reported they found comfort broaching the tough topics, empowerment in getting their desires written down and shared, and felt much lighter physically and mentally after having completed their workbooks. The retreat gave patients and their families peace of mind and direction on how achieving these very important tasks that had been weighing on them heavily.
5. Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation Enrichment and Bereavement Program
The Hope and Friendship Metastatic Breast Cancer Foundation provides a FREE enrichment and bereavement program. Enrichment items are provided to support group members throughout the year we also provide field trips, holiday celebrations and concert tickets. Our bereavement program finances a chaplaincy consultant, bereavement meals shared by the support group when a beloved member has passed and bereavement gifts to family members. As our patients have traversed the scary and unpredictable terrain of breast cancer, we have remained a constant presence that can be counted upon for our support groups and many programs. Our enrichment and bereavement programs are well-received by patients, their families, support systems, and the community. People are amazed that we offer what we do throughout the entire experience of breast cancer from diagnosis to after the end-of-life. We remain committed to being the organization offering these services in northeastern Massachusetts for those from the Merrimack Valley, the North Shore and southern New Hampshire. To donate, register, or volunteer, please visit our website: hopeandfriendship.org
