Making Their Cancer Care Complete

Cancer Services continued our Survivorship Events, marking Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month with a luncheon for our Digestive and Urinary Support Group this past Monday.

At the luncheon, attending survivors and their loved ones shared their stories as well as talked their concerns and asked questions about their colorectal, bladder, liver, testicular or prostate cancer. Several of the survivors emphasized the importance of getting tested regularly and urged everyone at the luncheon to encourage their family and friends to forgo the embarrassment and get colonoscopies and exams.

Also at the luncheon, Cindy Schneider was introduced as a new aspect of the support group. Cindy is an ostomy nurse who will attend the monthly meetings and be available to provide support and answer questions needed by the survivors. This is made possible through a grant from Get Your Rear in Gear and the Colon Cancer Coalition. (The next Get Your Rear in Gear 5K is coming up on April 28. Click here to register and support local colorectal cancer initiatives!)

The survivorship luncheon and support groups are a great way to share experiences from cancer treatment and to find encouragement and hope. One survivor spoke about how great it was to see a fellow liver cancer survivor who is about to have a 10 year anniversary since diagnosis. Another survivor stressed the importance of having a positive attitude during treatment.

Cancer Services fully recognizes the importance of support as part of our clients’ cancer care and we offer over 15 support groups that meet monthly; our Digestive and Urinary Group that meets every third Monday of the month at noon at Cancer Services. For more information on this support group or other services offered by Cancer Services please visit our website or call Esther at 225-927-2273.

Stretch, Strength and Support: Yoga at Cancer Services

Cancer Services offers multiple exercise classes that allow survivors to get a great workout and a chance to meet other survivors. But one class in particular has become much more than just a workout. The Yoga Thrive class, offered every Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Red Shoes, has become its very own support group for the survivors who participate in the class.

Some of the yoga regulars before class at The Red Shoes

Every week survivors attend the class to get strength and support from each other as well as a good exercise - most are regulars, scheduling their appointments around these classes. One survivor even described the class as a family saying, “When someone’s missing we miss them.”

All of the survivors reiterated how special this class is and how they never want to miss out on it. One survivor said this was “one of the best classes I’ve ever seen in my life.” Another survivor spoke about how everyone’s backgrounds were not important because they were all the same because they all have cancer.

Many of the survivors emphasized how important the instructor, Kate, was to the class. When asked what she thought made this class so special, Kate responded that the emotional connection she feels and sees with this class is different from any other class she teaches. She also spoke about the amazing strength of spirit and will the participants in the class have.

The routine of the class is gentler than others and the survivors do not feel any pressure to perform any moves that make them feel uncomfortable. One survivor said that she liked the class because there was no judgment and that it did not matter what you were able to do. Several survivors said that the class was great because they all are coming from the same place because they all have cancer and they understand what the other people in the class are going through.
Each yoga class ends with "Namaste," which translates to "I bow to you." These survivors bow to each other, bows full of meaning in their shared experience, and Cancer Services bows to all our clients as we do all we can to improve their lives and their cancer journey.

One participant in particular emphasized the importance of getting exercise several times a week for cancer patients. According the National Cancer Institute website, several studies find that physical activity can improve the quality of life for cancer patients who are undergoing treatment or for those who have completed treatment.

Cancer Services offers multiple exercise programs to help cancer survivors improve their quality of life and stay healthy. For a list of exercise programs visit the Cancer Services’ website or call Natalie at 225-927-2273 for more information.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Dark Blue is Colorectal's Cancer Awareness Color.

March is colorectal cancer awareness month. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men behind skin, prostate and lung cancer, and the fourth most common among women after skin, breast and lung cancer. The risk of colorectal cancer increases with age with more than 90 percent of cases occurring in people who are 50 years old or older (CDC).



According to the NCI, risk factors for colorectal cancer are:

• being 50 years old or older,
• having a family history of colon cancer or polyps,
• colorectal polyps,
• a personal history of cancer, especially ovarian, endometrial or breast cancer,
• ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease,
• hereditary conditions like familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC),
• a diet of high fat and low calcium, folate and fiber and
• cigarette smoking.

It is important to get tested for colorectal cancer if you are 50 years old or older because it can save your life. Many cancers in the early, treatable stages do not cause symptoms so it is important to get tested regularly. Symptoms usually begin to emerge when the cancer has progressed. Some of the symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

• Constipation or Diarrhea
• Blood in or on the stool
• Weight loss with no known reason
• Fatigue
• Vomiting or nausea
• The sensation that the bowel does not empty completely
• Narrow stools (which indicate an obstruction in the colon)
• Chronic abdominal discomfort, like gas pains or cramps or feeling bloated or full

These symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer, but it is important to visit a doctor so that a proper diagnosis can be made. For more information about colon cancer or screenings in our area, call the Cancer Services Library/Resource Center at 225-927-2273.

Each week, Cancer Services posts a Cancer Q&A in the Health section of The Advocate.