New Direction for After Hours Support Group

Originally designed to offer clients more opportunities to benefit from our support services, the weekly After Hours Support Group meetings have taken a direction all their own. Adult Programs Coordinator Natalie Depp, LMSW hosts everything from screening cancer-related movies and TV shows to creative endeavors like collaging or journaling to special events to mark cancer awareness months. 

This fall the group will see a bit of a revamp. Now meeting on Wednesday evenings – still at 6p.m. –one meeting of each month will be “An Introduction to a Cancer Diagnosis.” Especially designed for those newly diagnosed and their families, these meetings will benefit anyone wishing to acquaint or reacquaint themselves with the facts and vocabulary of cancer and its treatments.  Director of Support Programs Esther Sachse, LCSW stresses the importance of education for our clients: “The newly diagnosed cancer survivor has an immediate need for accurate information regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment options.  They need a safe place to share their feelings and concerns.  Our programs offer help and support when they need it most.”

For more information about this or any of our support groups, call 927-2273 or visit our website at www.cancerservices.org. The mission of Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge is to improve life for those living with cancer.  

Capital Chefs' Showcase: Our FABULOUS Chefs!

 It's no secret that Louisiana has some of the best food in the country, if not the world. So when Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge brings the area's best chefs together for Capital Chefs' Showcase each year, it's an opportunity to have an amazing culinary experience all under one roof. Not only are they masters of their craft, but these chefs donate food for 1,200+ people every year to benefit Cancer Services. Many have been participating for YEARS. We obviously could not host Showcase without them and we are incredibly thankful for their generosity. Remember that this event benefits those living with cancer right here in our community!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Chefs at the 2011 Capital Chefs' Showcase

On Thursday, September 6th at 6:30 p.m. at the Baton Rouge River Center, you can taste a unique creation from each of these participating chefs:

Mrs. Mary R. Aycock

BD Kitchens

Baton Rouge General Blubeonnet - Pennington

Beausoleil

Cafe' Americain

Carrabba's Italian Grill

Chef Celeste at Southside

Chef Don Bergeron Enterprises

Chef KD Louisiana Legends
Cordon Rouge

Culinary Productions, Catering & Event Planning

Drusilla Seafood Restaurant & Catering

Fleming's Steakhouse

French Market Bistro

Heirloom Cuisine

Jasmines on the Bayou

Juban's Restaurant & Catering

Kleinpeter Farms Dairy, Inc.

Little Village

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen

Mansur's on the Boulevard

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Portico

Portobello's Italian Grill & Café

Roberto's

Serop's Cafe

Stroubes

Tsunami

Unique Cuisine

Zea Rotisserie & Grill

Thirty years ago, George Rodrigue painted the original chefs participating in the first Capital Chefs' Showcase. A signed print of that painting will be part of this year's silent auction.

The 30th Annual Capital Chefs’ Showcase: Sept. 6th!

In the 1980s, Cancer Services started its signature fundraiser as a two-day cooking demonstration. Thirty years later Capital Chefs’ Showcase has grown to one of the largest, most anticipated and most imitated events of the year. The night has always been one filled with great food, spectacular silent auction shopping and up-beat music; this year we’re adding to the festivities to mark this special anniversary. Help us celebrate and improve life for those living with cancer on Thursday, September 6th at 6:30 p.m.

Moving the event to the Baton Rouge River Center we’re able to host 30 chefs, inviting new participants from our waiting list. These chefs donate their time and food to provide delicious cuisine to more than 1,200 people ---- all to help Cancer Services with their mission to improve life for those living with cancer in the Greater Baton Rouge area. This event could not happen without their incredible support and generosity.

We’re so pleased to welcome our honorary co-chairs.  Longtime supporters and friends to Cancer Services, LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri and his wife Karen are being joined by cancer survivor Louisiana’s Lieutenant Governor, Jay Dardenne and his wife Cathy. Dardenne was diagnosed with non-aggressive prostate cancer during a routine check-up in 2011 and had surgery in November. 

Even though the Greater Baton Rouge community has enjoyed Showcase for the past thirty years, many don’t connect the event with Cancer Services. This is far more than an evening out - it is a way to support friends, coworkers, neighbors and family members who are living with, through and beyond cancer. 

Click here to purchase tickets! 

The Forgotten Survivors: The Importance of Cancer Services’ Kids Kare Program

Paige, Danielle, Nadia, Courtney and Caleb Julien at Cancer Services after speaking to our Board of Directors about the importance of Kids Kare.

Paige and Caleb ready to ice skate at one of our monthly Children’s Events

Cancer never affects just one person. Like the proverbial pebble in a pond, it ripples out to family members, friends, coworkers and neighbors. Every day, Cancer Services attends to the various needs of ALL those affected by cancer, including the children whose family members are diagnosed. 

When people think of kids affected by cancer, most imagine children who have the disease. Our Candlelighter Program provides support for them and their siblings. But often people forget the impact that a parent’s cancer diagnosis can have on a child. Cancer Services Director of Support Programs Esther Sachse, LCSW, explains, “The children of our parents with cancer are often the forgotten survivors, yet they are a crucial part of our mission.  When Dad is too sick to toss a football or Mom is in treatment and can’t help pick that prom dress, children experience some of the losses associated with cancer.  Our Kids Kare Program creates special family moments that help carry survivors through the cancer journey.”
   
At just 32 years old, Courtney Julien, father of three, experienced kidney failure. One minute he was going about his work day as a process operator at CF Industries and the next minute he was in the hospital, soon to be diagnosed with a rare type of lymphomathat started in his prostate and engulfed his bladder and kidneys. He, his wife Danielle and their children all began a difficult journey that uniquely affected each one of them.
   
Thankfully, the Juliens found that Cancer Services could help the entire family with their various physical, emotional and financial needs. In addition to being a safe place to talk, the agency helped Courtney pay for his prescriptions to ease the high costs of a diagnosis and provided products to ease the side effects of treatment. Treatments were tough and Courtney was in and out of the hospital for weeks. His children  struggled to understand why their strong dad, their “Superman,” was sick. “The day I got home from the hospital, I still had tubes and was recovering,” Courtney says. “When Nadia saw me, she was so excited she ran up to jump on me like she used to and everyone screamed to stop her. Every day they’d ask if Dad could play and they didn’t understand when I couldn’t.”

Nadia and Paige with Santa at the Children’s Holiday Party.

As the Juliens adjusted to this “new normal” they began grasping for things that resembled their old life, including special family time and outings, now difficult because of Courtney’s limited physical abilities and their financial situation. Cancer Services and Kids Kare helped fill that void. The monthly children’s events give the Juliens and dozens of other families the chance to spend time together “outside a world of hurt” and not worry about sickness, shots or chemo. “They’re great times for us,” Danielle explains, “Even the baby can come and enjoy.” She claims it even helped her husband heal quicker, “He was able to enjoy his kids again and we got to meet other families and know we’re not alone.” But Kids Kare is not just about fun activities, it’s about families and giving children a sense of normalcy during a scary and confusing time.

Today Courtney and his family are doing well and still attend events. Despite his progress, cancer is still present in their lives. Over a year later medical bills are mounting and Courtney is still adjusting to being back at work. Danielle smiles and says, “Praise the Lord, everything’s OK today. We’re so blessed to have Cancer Services. Please don’t ever stop doing what y’all are doing.”

For more about the Kids Kare or any other program, call Cancer Services at 225-927-2273.

Q&A: Sun Safety

Every Sunday, Cancer Services publishes a Cancer Q&A in the Health Section of The Baton Rouge Advocate.

Q:  I love being out in the sun but am afraid of getting skin cancer.  What are some things I can do that will still allow me to enjoy the summer months?

A:  Sun safety is important year around, especially in the southern United States.  To safeguard your skin properly you should take proper precautions daily, regardless of whether or not you plan on being outside.   You are exposed to dangerous UV rays even when you are driving a car.

 According to the National Cancer Institute, non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer.  Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are two of the many non-melanoma skin cancers.  Regardless of age, skin type, sex, or race, anyone can get skin cancer; however, some people have an increased risk of developing skin cancer.  The American Cancer Society has projected more than one million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer for 2007 in the United States, which is approximately half of all diagnosed cancers combined in the U.S.

The National Cancer Institute suggests the following sun safety tips:

• It is best to avoid the midday sun (from mid-morning to late afternoon) whenever possible. You also should protect yourself from UV radiation reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice. UV radiation can penetrate light clothing, windshields, and windows.
• Wear protective clothing.
• Use sunscreen. Sunscreen may help prevent skin cancer, especially sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.   However, sunscreens cannot provide the same protection as avoiding the sun and wearing clothing to protect the skin.
• Stay away from sunlamps and tanning beds.

There are other ways to protect yourself from acquiring one of the most common cancers.

• Women can wear tinted moisturizers with a minimum SPF of 15.  FDA regulations require SPF measures in moisturizer to be the same as the measures found in sunscreen.
• Do NOT sunbathe or use tanning beds; instead, if you feel it’s absolutely necessary, use a sunless tanning product that has DHA, dihydroxyacetone, or other color additives for the skin that have been tested by the industry and approved by the FDA.  Also make sure to read about these products.  For example, DHA is intended to be used in the self-application of creams and lotions.  It is only approved for the application to external body parts and is not to be used on the eyes, lips, and any body surface covered with a mucus membrane.  Sunless tanning does not necessarily provide SPF protection; if your label does not include SPF then make sure to apply sunscreen or lotion with a minimum of SPF 15 when you are exposed to the sun’s UV rays.
• Make sure your sunglasses block both UVB and UVA rays.
• Use aftershave with a minimum SPF 15.
• Wear a hat with a brim that covers more than your face but neck and ears as well.
• Use lip balm with a minimum SPF 15.
• Have moles checked out by your doctors.

Visit these websites for further information on sun safety tips:

• Skin Cancer Foundation 
• National Cancer Institute
• American Cancer Society
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration

For additional information contact Courtney, the librarian at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge at (225) 927-2273, cbritton@cancerservices.org , or visit the Resource Center at 550 Lobdell Avenue.

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.

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.

Q&A: Caregiver Bill of Rights

Every Sunday, Cancer Services publishes a Cancer Q&A in the Health Section of The Baton Rouge Advocate.

Q: My sister has been diagnosed with cancer and I am her sole caregiver. I find myself being short with her and other people more and more and then I feel guilty about it. Is this normal?

A: It is normal for caregivers to experience feelings of guilt, fatigue, and irritation. It is important for caregivers to pay attention to their own feelings and needs. The National Cancer Institute suggests referring to the following while caring for a loved one.

Caregiver's Bill of Rights:

• I have the right to take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give me the ability to take better care of my loved one.
• I have the right to seek help from others even though my loved one may object. I know the limits of my own endurance and strength.
• I have the right to maintain parts of my own life that do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he were healthy. I know that I do everything that I reasonably can do for this person. I have the right to do some things just for myself.
• I have the right to get angry, be depressed, and express difficult feelings once in a while.
• I have the right to reject any attempt by my loved one to make me do things out of guilt or anger, (It doesn't matter if she knows that she is doing it or not).
• I have the right to get consideration, affection, forgiveness, and acceptance for what I do for my loved one, as I offer these in return.
• I have the right to take pride in what I'm doing. And I have the right to applaud the courage it has taken to meet the needs of my loved one.
• I have the right to protect my individuality. I also have the right to a life that will sustain me in times when my loved one no longer needs my full-time help.

The Caregiver Support Group at Cancer Services meets the second Friday of every month at noon. Anyone caring for a loved one, no matter the ailment, is encouraged to attend to help better take care of themselves. Call Natalie at 225-927-2273 if you’d like more information.

For more information contact Courtney Britton, librarian at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge at (225) 927-2273 or visit the Resource Center at 550 Lobdell Avenue.

Putting Your Own Mask on First: Caregiver Appreciation

Caregivers of cancer survivors, or those coping with any illness or disability, face unique challenges and often struggle with taking care of themselves as well as their loved one. Esther Sachse, LCSW, Director of Support Programs at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, equates their situation to the familiar safety drills on airplanes: “When the oxygen masks drop down, you have to put your own mask on before you help others. It’s the same with care-giving, it’s so important for caregivers to take care of themselves well before they can best help their loved ones.”

On February 10^th, Cancer Services took a step in caring for the caregivers by hosting an appreciation luncheon to honor and celebrate all that they do. LSU School of Social Work professor Dr. Scott Wilks, who specializes in caregiver research, spoke and answered questions at the luncheon. This prompted many of the 36 attendees to share their own stories. One woman shared how hard it was to let the nurse they hired actually take over some of the care-giving responsibilities for her husband. Another explained the guilt that comes after feeling frustrated with her loved one, because sometimes even the best caregiver can get aggravated. Fellow caregivers nodded in agreement, empathizing over their shared situation.

Another commented how nice it was to have people just to call and check in, explaining, “Sometimes as a caregiver you need an ear, someone to listen to you.” That’s why the Caregiver Support Group at Cancer Services meets the second Friday of every month at noon. Anyone caring for a loved one, no matter the ailment, is encouraged to attend to help better take care of themselves. Call Natalie at 225-927-2273 if you’d like more information.

Not Alone: Pancreatic Cancer Survivorship Luncheon

Attendees at Cancer Services' first Pancreatic Survivorship Luncheon.

 
Survivors, caregivers and supporters gathered at Cancer Services this past Monday for our first Pancreatic Cancer Survivorship Luncheon. Survival rates tend to be dramatically lower for pancreatic cancer than other cancers and because of these statistics, many survivors* can feel hopeless and isolated, even within the cancer community. The Survivorship Luncheon gave them the opportunity to speak with fellow pancreatic cancer survivors who can empathize and share information. Conversation ranged from comparing their experiences of being diagnosed, to coaching a caregiver on what her mother might be going through, to sharing diet tips. For most though, simply meeting others with the disease was the reason for coming. Many of the attendees had never met a single other person with pancreatic cancer.
Paula Aliers, PANCAN facilitator of the monthly Pancreatic Survivor Network Meetings explains that, “It’s nice for patients to hear they’re not going crazy, that they’re not the only one and sometimes that’s hard because people don’t want to talk about pancreatic cancer – there’s a stigma there.” But there’s no stigma at Cancer Services. One of the attendees expressed in a thank-you note that, “I left the survivor party yesterday with such a sense of encouragement and finally felt like I had truly come to place where I could ‘take the mask off.’”

The Pancreatic Survivor Network meets at the General on Bluebonnet on the third Thursday of each month, from 6:30-8:30. For more information about Pancreatic Cancer, our support groups or anything else call Cancer Services at 225-927-2273 or visit our website.

Each month, Cancer Services will be hosting a different survivorship event to celebrate and honor survivors’ unique journeys. It’s no secret that some cancers get more attention than others. At Cancer Services we want to make sure all our clients feel supported in meaningful and relevant ways. Click here for a tentative schedule of the 2012 Survivorship Events.

*According to the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation, a cancer survivor is anyone with a history of cancer, from the moment of diagnosis through their journey. Thus, Cancer Services refers to all clients as "survivors.” We are here for you and all 6,000 of our clients as you live with, through and beyond cancer.

Cancer Services: For Body, Mind and Spirit

“YOU HAVE CANCER.”

This year, over 4000 people in the Baton Rouge area will hear these words and join the thousands of others who have already heard them.

For all of them and their families,

Cancer Services is here...

for body

Replenishing much-needed vitamins and nutrients through nutritional supplements

Providing mobility and independence by loan of hospital beds, wheelchairs and other equipment

Giving comfort and well-being though medical and post-surgical supplies

Improving physical function through exercise programs tailored to the needs of cancer survivors

mind

Easing the anxiety of navigating the complicated healthcare system

Relieving financial burdens with prescription assistance and mileage reimbursement to ensure patients get the treatment they need

Offering empathetic ears and the chance to share experiences, thoughts and feelings with others on the same journey through support groups

Empowering patients and family members to make sound decisions regarding their treatment and health with educational programs and up to date resource information

and spirit

Restoring confidence and self-esteem by sharing wigs, hats, scarves and other accessories

Calming the stresses associated with a life-altering diagnosis though yoga and reiki sessions

Improving one's ability to cope through personal counseling

Facilitating opportunities for children to forgo their illness, laugh, play and experience childhood



For more information about Cancer Services, visit our website, call 225-927-2273 or stop by our office at 550 Lobdell Ave. in Baton Rouge. We're open 8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday.