Informal Meetup
Event

Zest for Life for cancer patients

Cancer Focus Northern Ireland

Cancer Focus Northern Ireland

Cost: Free

Cancer Focus NI's Zest for Life for cancer patients is coming the Omagh area in May 2014 in partnership with the local Care for Cancer charity. This is a free six week personal development course for people who are on a survival and recovery period

Starting on Thursday 1st May 2014, the course will take place at the Care for Cancer Information and Resource Centre, 1 Campsie Place, Omagh. The programme will run every Wednesday for six weeks until 4th June from 10.30am to 1pm.

Zest for Life will be facilitated by locally based Cancer Focus NI counsellor, Helen Murphy, who said: “The course can help people who have had a cancer diagnosis to pinpoint lifestyle changes which will have a positive impact on their physical and mental health.

Self-esteem

“Everyone is unique and we understand that cancer affects everyone differently. Cancer can make people feel that they have lost control, increase their feelings of isolation and can often reduce a person’s self-esteem. Zest for Life aims to help people to understand and manage stress, encourage positive thinking, adopt relaxation techniques and explore complementary therapies.

“By identifying personal values and realistic goal setting, people often regain a sense of balance and become empowered and motivated to move forward and embrace the future.”

Donna’s story

Donna Booth (above), from Omagh, a married mother of two, was diagnosed with breast cancer on 26th March 2012.

She said: “When I turned 50 I decided to have a mammogram, not because I had any symptoms of cancer, I just felt it was something I should do. Sadly, this is when I discovered I had breast cancer.

“I had my first chemotherapy session in Altnagelvin Hospital. While I was here I came across a Care for Cancer brochure (a cancer charity in Omagh) but at the time I didn’t want to go anywhere that said cancer on it or associate myself with that word. I was still in shock.

Lost and lonely

“Once I had finished chemo I felt very lost and lonely. I have no immediate family around me and I really wasn’t in a good place at the time. This is when I rang Care for Cancer where I had therapies such as reflexology and aromatherapy. At first I was apprehensive about having any sort of treatment because my body had had enough probing during chemo, but I soon felt I was in safe hands. I still felt very lost in my life at this time, and this is when my therapist recommended Cancer Focus NI’s Zest for Life.

“I did the six week course in January 2013. The facilitator guided us, for example she discussed the difference between needs and wants and reassured us it was okay to have these feelings. She gave us topics to talk about but it was up to us how the group progressed. I liked that we had ownership of it, which gave us a sense of control that some of us hadn’t been feeling through our illness.

“We discussed all sorts of issues from diet and health to exercise and emotions in a caring, confidential setting, and swapped ideas such on how to cope with side effects of our treatment and tiredness.

Togetherness

“There was a strong sense of togetherness at Zest for Life which really helped me. Everyone there had difference types of cancer but because we all felt confident enough to share things among each other it made everyone feel the same and not alone.

“There is a time after treatment where you do feel completely lost, and I would say a lot of people, especially west of the Bann, would feel the same. All I wanted was something as simple as someone coming to the house to talk to me. This was before I knew support like Cancer Focus NI existed.

“There is a need for support like Zest for Life out there. Not everyone has someone living near them and this is when services like these step in.

“The important thing is that when you attend Zest for Life you realise you are not alone. Speaking to others who have had the same experiences and feelings really does help.

“I’d encourage anyone going through their treatment or recovering from cancer to go along – it can only lead to positive things. If others get half as much out of Zest for Life as I did they will be much better equipped to deal with life after cancer.”

Zest for Life is entirely confidential and takes place in a safe and caring environment. Materials will be provided for anyone taking part.

For further information please contact Leonne Morrison at Cancer Focus NI on 028 9068 0751 or email [email protected].

 

 

Date and Time

Location

Care for Cancer
1 Campsie Place
Omagh
BT79 0FD
United Kingdom

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Contact Details

Leonne Morrison