“Everyone gets it here; I don’t have to explain.” These are words from a young adult cancer survivor who participated in the Re-claim Life online program.   Re-claim Life is an online program for cancer survivors aged between 25 and 40 years, to come together to explore their cancer experience.  We know that despite best intentions, other people do not always fully understand the impact of cancer on your life.      “I feel understood in this group.  Other people lack comprehension of my experience.” Led by two counsellors, the aim of the program is to help participants develop better coping skills and better manage their cancer-related concerns in the early survivorship period.    Just because treatment is over, doesn’t mean life goes back to normal.  Whether someone is looking to form a new relationship, start a family, return to the workforce or just figure out how to go about life, Re-claim Life is a great place to start.   Through group discussion and education, participants gain tangible strategies to build resilience and coping skills.  The format of the program is via videoconferencing with six participants attending six, weekly sessions.   To find out more or to get involved, call Cancer Council NSW 1800 734 398   Re-claim Life is part of a larger research study developed by Ursula Sansom-Daly, Claire Wakefield and colleagues at the Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, UNSW Sydney. Cancer Council NSW has partnered with the university to deliver the program.   ... View more

Which cancer patients should be continuing chemotherapy during the coronavirus?  Ranjana Srivastava   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/24/which-cancer-patients-should-be-continuing-chemotherapy-during-the-coronavirus ... View more

We all know exercise has many health benefits, but did you know just how much exercise can benefit people who are affected by cancer? Multiple studies have recently confirmed that exercise during and after a cancer diagnosis can go a long way towards reducing side effects, improving psychological wellbeing and even preventing recurrence of the disease. Exercise also has benefits for carers too.   With all this in mind, Cancer Council NSW has created a central place for all our exercise related materials. At this link, you can hear about the benefits of exercise from cancer survivors and health professionals, watch video demonstrations of exercises for people undergoing treatment and survivors, link with an exercise physiologist, find out about offline programs, and access clinically reviewed written information about exercise. To view the new web page Click here  and for more information call 13 11 20. ... View more

Thought we'd let the Online Community know about a new telephone support group for people with Metastatic Melanoma (stages 3 & 4 or people on a trial).  It's being run in partnership with Cancer Council and Melanoma Patients Australia.     Having a metastatic melanoma diagnosis can be overwhelming. Sometimes you just want to talk to other people who understand what you’re going through.  That’s why we are providing a free national telephone support group on the 4 th Wednesday of the month between 1:30 – 2:30pm (Eastern Standard Time).   All you need is a phone, an hour and a quiet space. To register or to find out more: Phone 1300 755 632 Email  tsg@nswcc.org.au ... View more

Thought this article may be of interest to community members.   News.com.au: Yoga beneficial for cancer patients: Study Cancer patients sleep better and experience less pain and fatigue if they practise yoga, research suggests. New studies presented at the world's largest cancer conference in Chicago found that as little as four weeks of practising yoga, including gentle hatha yoga, can improve wellbeing and reduce tiredness. The study on 321 cancer patients examined the impact of yoga on cancer-related fatigue and sleep. Patients in the study, 77 per cent of whom had breast cancer, were split into two groups, with one receiving usual care and the other following a four-week yoga program. The results showed that yoga significantly improved both fatigue and sleep quality, with around a fifth of the effect on fatigue due to better sleep. ... View more