BREAST CANCER AWARENESS - OCTOBER 12, 2016 - COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL - 7
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS | FINDING SUPPORT
Start Your Own Group
H
ave you asked yourself how you can help in the fight to stop breast cancer? Maybe your
family members or friends have been affected by the disease. The good news is that it is
easy to start your own group to help raise donations and awareness for breast cancer.
A smart thing to sort out before planning
your group is how often you want your group
to meet. Consider planning your meetings
on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule. Once a
month may be easier for everyone to plan
around but may make it difficult to keep the
group’s momentum going.
MAKE YOUR GROUP UNIQUE
Check to see if a similar group already
exists in your area. It may be counter-pro-
ductive to begin a new group instead of
assisting an already established group.
Consider joining forces with like-minded
groups to enhance your capabilities.
Your local oncology nurse or social worker
can assist you in finding existing groups, or
you can call the Cancer Support Community
Helpline (888-793-9355) to locate other local
groups.
Look for ways to differentiate your group’s
activities. This can include inviting educated
guest speakers to offer their insights on the
disease and how to overcome it.
BECOMING A GREAT LEADER
If starting a group is your idea, you may be
looked to as the leader. There are many fac-
tors to consider when deciding whether you
should be a leader, or whether another mem-
ber should take the helm of your group.
If you’ve got the passion for the group
objective and are skilled in coaching others
to success, a leadership role may be the per-
fect fit.
If you’re looking for someone else in the
group to step into a director-type role, a cur-
rent patient or survivor of breast cancer can
make a great candidate. Someone who has
experienced cancer can share in other’s
struggles and convey their perspective of
how to cope with the disease.
© FOTOLIA