New Members Welcomed!

It was good to see new members at this month's meeting, and we were thrilled to see returning members!

This month, we had a variety of topics discussed...mainly, about how we were each treated during our initial diagnosis and testing. Seems that the majority of us have had the experience of a lack of empathy on the part of some of the staff members at the various hospitals, dark humor used when we are in the room, or just leaving us on our own for extended periods of time, little or no reassurance, then presenting us with a surgeons business card, but no explanation as to why we need it...and too little time to make an informed decision before surgery and treatment begins. How we tackle this is going to take more discussion as a group.

While we understand that dealing with cancer on a daily basis is often hard to look at, the staff members really need to understand our shock and despair for having just heard the diagnosis. It is a dark and life altering thing to hear, we need a shoulder to cry on, a sympathetic ear, a support system. I truly wish that our local hospitals would point more women to our WOWS! Group, where women have an opportunity to be "caught" in a caring and empathetic place, where all of us have had the diagnosis, the feelings and the tears. We know the devastating blow to self esteem this causes, the emotional upheaval and how surgery and treatments feel.

It is so reassuring to have a cancer "buddy/mentor/friend" at each step from diagnosis through end of treatment, and again out of treatment, even years later, when we are still not feeling our whole selves, where we are looking for our new selves, a new direction, a new fulfillment.

We were inspired by a member's gorgeous cancer journey scrapbook made by her daughter, it reminded us all that it means everything to have someone to support us.

We discussed that "inner voice" that keeps us safe...if we ignore it, we risk further illness or injury, best to get anything that is bothersome checked out by your doctor.

As a group we discuss what works for each of us, what hasn't been satisfactory, where we can find resources to assist us with what we need at the time that we need it.

There is one thing that seems to be universal: people need support, women need WOWS! We are grateful to be supportive to one another.

Until next month,

Take Care,

L