Circle of Hope
Psychosocial support plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis acceptance, treatment and overcoming of cancer.
Not only during the fight on cancer, but reintegrating back to normal daily routine can be a challenge for the cancer patient and their immediate family.
The Cancer Association of Namibia and Standard Bank Namibia took hands during the recent 50th anniversary celebrations of CAN to further expand and invest in offering psychosocial support to Namibians dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
The Standard Bank Circle of Hope programme falls under the CAN Family Support Centre and was officially launched in 2016 as a peer-to-peer volunteer social support group. Officially being launched as a department of CAN in June 2017, the centre provides counselling services for the patient and family afflicted by cancer. On Tuesday one-on-one counselling is provided in the Circle of Hope rooms, while “Huddles of Hope” by means of group sessions are conducted on Thursday afternoons at CAN’s House Acacia Interim Home.
All cancer patients and the family members of cancer patients are welcome, and kindly reminded to book counselling sessions for Tuesdays in advance with MJ at 061-237740.
Standard Bank Circle of Hope advice on step 1 when you have received a cancer diagnosis:
The doctor has just told you that you have cancer. As you wrestle with a range of emotions, you may wonder, “what should I do now?”
- Consider the following tips to help you cope with your diagnosis:
- Get your facts right
- Organise your thoughts. Write down your questions before your doctor’s appointment. If you wish to research cancer online, be sure to counter-check this information with your doctor as not all online content is reliable.
- You may want to ask your doctor:
1) “What type of cancer do I have and where is it located?”
2) “Has my cancer spread?”
3) “What further tests do I need?”
4) “What are my treatment options?”
5) “What can I expect?”
Find a doctor
Get a referral from your primary care doctor or experienced family members, friends, or colleagues. You may also wish to seek a second opinion from another doctor to get more information.
Find out about the available medical treatments
Your doctor may advise a combination of treatment methods to achieve the best outcome. Clinical trials may also be available as one of your treatment options.
Get organised
Find an efficient way to track information such as medical appointments, laboratory tests results, treatment side effects, insurance information, and finances. Create a simple filing system using folders and spreadsheets to record important information. Can we provide a generic one for people to download?
Find support to cope with challenges
Remember, you are not alone. Don’t isolate yourself. Seek support from your family, friends, healthcare professionals, or the community to journey through this challenging time.
We may not have all the answers you seek at CAN, but we will stand with you and help get them together.
Together WE CAN, I CAN fight Cancer!
We extend our gratitude to Standard Bank Namibia who support this programme.
PHOTO: Mrs Magreth Mengo – Head of Marketing, Standard Bank Namibia, handed over the pledge of N$150 000 to CAN CEO, Mr Rolf Hansen.
