Advantages Of Cancer Social Network Programs To Victims Of Cancer

By Cornelia Reyes


Cancer is a type of disease that is usually chronic in nature. The disease also lacks definite medical cure in most cases especially at late stages. Patients diagnosed with this diseases and up spending most of their time taking medications or undergoing radiotherapy treatments in an attempt to control the disease. These people therefore face a specially life challenge that people who are healthy cannot understand. These people therefore find themselves alienated from normal people in different activities. Because they need to have a social life too, there is need of having a cancer social network where they get to interact with people who understand them.

The network programs mainly consist of three groups of people. First are there cancer patients, then there are survivors who have been cured and finally a support team. Together these people try to give the patients a normal and comfortable life and make them feel acceptable in the society. The networks could be the websites over the internet or through organized groups.

The benefits of social networks specific to these victims are of essence. The victims get a sense belonging when they have people to interact with who understand their uniqueness. With people who are experiencing the similar situations to interact with, they are able to fill in the gap of loneliness they previously experienced. They are able to share their fears and weaknesses also so in the process socialize and also heal faster.

These groups also give experiential support. Studies have proved that people who have experienced similar stressful events are the best in giving encouragement to their colleges. The connections bring together people who have had the disease for a longer time than others. They have also experienced the outcomes of different therapies that are present in managing the disease. This makes them good counselors to the newly diagnosed in terms of giving moral support and hope to hold on.

The support team in the groups makes the life of patients bearable. Cancer patients may become weak to a level on requiring help in physical activities. They also incur huge monetary costs for the constant therapies they have to undergo. The support therefore provide the physical help and monetary assistance to enable the patients acquire appropriate medications.

Part of the support people in the group includes health care professionals who become very important in the palliative care of these patients. They also provide information and education concerning the diseases that the patients have. In addition, they give advice on the different treatment options available for them and the side effects expected.

Most important is the moral support and hope that is created by the survivors. The fact that some patients have gone through the challenges and finally overcame give the current patients hope that the disease they have could get cured one day and let them live a normal life.

Cancer social network are therefore very important platforms to empower those who are ill. To make them feel accepted and needed by their peers who are facing the same challenges. They serve as part of psychological treatment to people who may give up in their conditions.




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