Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to all those that took the time to complete our survey. I am just in the middle of putting together our Report on the Blog, based on your responses. The report will listen closely to what you have said and inform where the Blog goes from here. The report will be available here on the Blog soon if you’d like to read it. Watch this space…..
Good Morning World,
This is our LAST CALL asking for people to please complete our little survey to let us know how you guys have found the Blog over the last few months. Our survey closes on Monday!
Unfortunately, we haven’t got a very big response so far so we would REALLY appreciate if you took a moment to help us out by completing the survey.
Here is the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CorkARCcancersupporthouseblogsurvey
Remember, if you have liked checking in with our Blog you need to let us know in our survey so we know if it is something you would like to see continue or not.
Thank you all!
Hi Everyone,
Just a little reminder, please
to take a few moments to complete our little survey about how you found the Blog over the last few months. If the Blog continues or not is really up to YOU and the feedback that you give us. So we would be really grateful for you contribution.
Please click on the link below to complete the survey…
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CorkARCcancersupporthouseblogsurvey
Many Many Thanks
Rob
Hello Everyone,
We have come to the end of the pilot period for the Cork ARC Cancer Support Blog. We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to all who followed, viewed and contributed!
The Blog was designed to offer online support to people with cancer and their relatives and friends. A big feature of the Blog was that it would be shaped by you, the users. Now that we have reached the end of our pilot, it is really up to YOU to inform whether or not the Blog will continue. We really want to know what you found helpful or less helpful about the Blog over the past 2 months. Your feedback today will be invaluable to us in relation to what happens next with the Blog.
Please take a few moments to complete the survey below and make you voice heard. Your feedback is greatly appreciated as we really want to provide a support that meets the needs that you identify.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL SURVEY RESPONSES ARE ANONYMOUS AND YOUR FEEDBACK WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL.
Thank you so much for journeying with us so far and helping us to decide where the road goes from here……….
Here is the link to the survey:
Happy St. Partick’s Day from all at ARC House!
Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all getting ready to enjoy a nice long St.Patrick’s Day weekend. When we have a little more time on our hands this weekend (maybe that’s just wishful thinking..) I thought that it might be a good idea to ask someone to give us a little more information on another coping support. Ann Mcilraith, our very own Tai Chi Master at ARC House, has kindly written a little piece for us about Tai Chi and it’s links to meditation and connecting to the self. These can be great supports in relation to coping with cancer. (That’s what this weeks theme picture to the right is all about in case you were wondering). Ann runs a Tai Chi class every Monday at ARC House and has included a little video of last Monday’s class to show us all how it’s done! Thanks to Ann and everyone involved…….
Personal Biography:
I began training in Tai Chi in 1989 was recognised as a Tai Chi Master by Grand Master John Kells, of the British Tai Chi Chuan Association in 2007. Following my training with Dr. Lester Fehmhi of the Princeton Biofeedback Centre I have been incorporating Open Focus techniques into Tai Chi practice. I also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from University College Cork and taught Physics and Biology for many years before devoting myself to Tai Chi and healing techniques.
About the Art of T’ai Chi Chuan:
Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese martial art. It is mostly thought in the west as a relaxing moving meditation and for this reason is usually called Tai Chi. The Chuan represents the martial aspect. I teach it as a method to relax and meditate but I also explain the martial aspects and show how they can be used not just as a form of defense but rather as a way to learn connection to oneself and to everyone and everything one encounters in daily life.
To me one of the greatest benefits of Tai Chi is the awareness that develops through its practice. It reveals the body’s secrets and opens the mind to levels of awareness hitherto undreamed of.
If you would like to find out a little bit more about Tai Chi and Ann’s work feel free to visit the website or follow Ann’s own Blog
As always we’d love to hear about your own experiences of ways that may have helped you with coping with cancer, so feel free to comment, ask questions or share your story below!
Afternoon Everyone,
I hope that you are enjoying the unexpected snow! Last week our theme was around exercise and cancer and I spoke about a recent initiative that is going on in Cork called the Cork Dragons. After the post I was asked what Cork Dragons is all about so I decided to ask someone who is involved with Cork Dragons to give us all a bit more information. It sounds like an incredibly interesting way to get active. Thanks to Theresa Connolly for writing today about Cork Dragons and her own experience.
Personal Biography:
I am a breast cancer survivor, having had breast cancer in 2007. Your job as a Mum doesn’t stop because you are ill and I hope my children have learned that cancer, if diagnosed early and treated appropriately, can be overcome. I returned to my ‘paid’ full time job as soon as I was well enough and it continues to challenge me. My recovery was made easier through the support of family, friends, Arc Cancer Support and fellow breast cancer sufferers. I have met the most amazing women through this experience and for that I will be forever grateful. Breast cancer is not a pleasant disease but we can and do survive and grow having experienced it.
WHO OR WHAT ARE CORK DRAGONS?
Cork Dragons is a newly formed dragon boat crew based in Cork. Its members are all breast cancer survivors and their family and friends. Towards the end of last summer we had a couple of try-outs on the water with the support and encouragement of Meitheal Meara. Currently we are training indoors within a specific preparation programme to help prepare us for our public launch on the water in late March/early April. Our intention is to eventually compete with similar crews in Ireland and throughout the world. Ambitious perhaps but not impossible.
So what is Dragon Boat racing? Dragon Boat racing is a team paddling sport on water, using painted boats to which are attached decorative dragon heads and tails. A normal crew number is 22, including 20 paddlers, 1 steerer and 1 drummer. Cork Dragons are very lucky to be supported by Meitheal Mara, Arc Cancer Support, Prince Clinic and HSE Health Promotion Unit.
This initiative is a worldwide initiative and there are Dragon Boat crews all over the world crewed entirely by breast cancer survivors, and it’s important to note that non-breast cancer survivors cannot compete. Early research indicates that the movements and techniques involved in ‘paddling’ – as opposed to rowing – are beneficial in the prevention /management of lymphedema post breast cancer. This benefit is in addition to all the other benefits you would expect to enjoy from a team sport – support, fitness, fun, challenging!
Cork Dragons are currently building a team and getting to know each other, however, we need more members – and that could be you! We would love to meet with you and tell you a bit more about Cork Dragons. Even if you are nervous about getting out on the water, you can still join and support the crew, and perhaps in time venture out onto the water!
Contact details – email: corkdragons1@gmail.com
FB: http://www.facebook.com/CorkDragons
Please contact Cork ARC on 021 4276688 for more information
Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well since our last post. This week’s theme is around the area of exercise and cancer (please note the aptly themed picture to your right!). Again this is a question that we often get asked by visitors here in ARC House, especially in relation to physical activity during cancer treatment. I will now hand you over to Shirley O’Shea Senior Health Promotion Officer with HSE South who has kindly written a post in relation to this area. As always please feel free to share any questions, comments, tips or stories with us below as we would love to hear from you…..
Personal Biography:
I have worked in the Health Promotion Department, HSE South since 1999. I am a Senior Health Promotion Officer, with responsibility for Physical Activity in Cork & Kerry. My role involves the promotion of physical activity across the lifespan in various settings such as schools, communities and workplaces.
Despite my active lifestyle in 2012 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, following treatment I am delighted to be able to resume all my activities as before my diagnosis. This also led me to get involved in the setting up of Corks first Dragon Boat team, which has encouraged those with Breast Cancer to take up paddling and do something really positive for their health and well being.
Exercise & Cancer:
Being physically active is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your health whatever your age or ability…..but how many of you know what the national guidelines are for physical activity for health benefits, not fitness?
All adults need 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on 5 days of the week. Over half of the adult population do not achieve this recommended level of physical activity. The good thing to remember is all activity you do over the course of your day counts, walking to work, dancing, gardening, carrying groceries, you don’t have to find 30 minutes to go to workout in a gym when we all have the ‘green’ gym on our doorstep!
How does physical activity benefit health?
Being active benefits our physical, mental and social well being and is positively associated with reducing the risk of many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, stroke and lowers the risk some cancers.
In terms of our overall well being there is evidence of stronger bones, better sleep quality, manages our weight and reduces falls.
Physical Activity during Cancer Treatment
After a cancer diagnosis staying active may be the last thing you have energy for. Though some treatments and their side effects may limit your ability to partake in physical activity, research suggests that it can improve physical functioning and overall well being. If you are already physically active, you may find you cannot do as much as you are used to doing. People on chemotherapy and radiation treatment may need to exercise at a lower intensity for a time, and build up more slowly than people who are not getting cancer treatment. The main goal should be to stay as active as possible. For those who were inactive before diagnosis, low-intensity activities should be started and slowly increased.
During treatment you may find moderate physical activity can help to:
• Reduce fatigue, anxiety and nausea
• Improve your mood and self-esteem
• Improve your sleep.
Suitable Activities:
Choose activity that you enjoy!
Gentle exercise that includes stretching such as yoga, Pilates, or tai chi
Find someone who can accompany you
Are there specific exercise programmes for those with a cancer diagnosis such as ARC Ramblers walking group or Cork Dragon Boat, this will give you the encouragement and support you may find you need at this time.
It’s important to remember that an active lifestyle is an important factor in reducing the risk of cancer and we all feel better when we get fresh air, get the body moving and take time out for ourselves!
More information on getting active
Hi Everyone,
We have now reached the third week of our Blog! Thank you kindly for following us so far and we are really enjoying getting to know you. At this point we hope that you have a good idea about who we are and the kind of help and support that we can provide. We would absolutely love to hear your stories and experiences, what resources you have found helpful or what you may be finding difficult at the moment or anything else you want to ask or talk about.
Bearing this in mind we want to hand the Blog over to you…………..What would you like the Blog to become?? In the words of William Blake:
“I will not reason and compare: my business is to create”.
We want you to create and shape the blog in a way that is helpful for you. We won’t be posting for a few days to give you a chance to tell us what you would like us to post about.
So I guess this is an open invitation (and you don’t get those very often in life!). Did you know that the average person has around 70,000 thoughts a day! There you are at home (or wherever you are hopefully somewhere more exotic) sitting at your computer and maybe some of those thoughts are about Cancer. Your experiences, your questions, your story! Please, share some of those thoughts with us here.
We will start the ball rolling by naming the theme for next week and hope to start a conversation around talking to children about cancer. It’s a question we get asked by a lot of people who drop into ARC House.
Please comment, ask any question or share any experience that you feel was helpful for you or maybe something you found not helpful, a chance to hear others with similar experiences or if you just want to get something off your chest! You can suggest absolutely anything and remain anonymous if that would be more comfortable.
• What are your experiences/stories of talking to children about Cancer?
• What was helpful and what wasn’t helpful?
• Is there anything else about that you would like to know about talking to children about Cancer?
We were hoping that through our blog you might be able to share your experiences to be a support for others and create a space where we can all learn and be supported.
Thank you all! Remember this blog is…….
Good Morning Everyone,
Today’s post is about talking to children about cancer. This is never an easy thing to do but hopefully this post will offer you some tips and resources to give you a helping hand. The post today was written by, well little old me actually! (Sorry it’s a little on the long side, editing was never my strong suit). I realise I have never really introduced myself before so I have written a little personal bio below. As always, please feel free to offer any feedback, comments or question, in fact we’d love that! Now to hand over to…well myself…….
Personal Biography:
Hi my name’s Rob O’Connor and I am a trainee Social Worker in University College Cork. I have volunteered in ARC House since 2009. I have long had a particular interest in working with and supporting children and families and love working in this area. I have volunteered and worked with children in different capacities including working as part of a child protection and welfare team and also in community development with children in Kenya. I am also the facilitator of the Cork ARC Cancer Support Blog as part of a link between University College Cork and Cork ARC Cancer Support House.
Talking to Children about Cancer:
It may be hard to tell children that you or a loved one has cancer. A parent’s natural reaction may be to protect their children by not talking to them about cancer. However, it is important to include children, so that they will not feel left out, unimportant or imagine things to be worse than they are. Children are also much more observant than they are given credit for and will pick up on changes in the family, different comings and goings, serious faces and atmospheres, hushed voices on the phone and so on. It may be more upsetting or frightening for a child if they know that something is different in the family but no one is talking to them. Often they overhear it or someone in the playground tells them. Being open and honest with children maintains their trust in you, gives them permission to talk about cancer, and empowers them to play a role in the family. Cancer is a journey that you and your family will take together and it is important to include all members in this, as families can grow closer and stronger together.
There is no right time to tell children but as early as possible might be best, before obvious changes occur so that they feel prepared for these changes. It is important to give children information appropriate to their age and deliver this information in ways that they can understand and in amounts they can take in. It is easier if children are told about cancer by someone who is close to them, like the parent who has cancer, both parents together or maybe grandparents. It is best to talk to the child in a comfortable environment where they feel at ease. Sometimes it is easier to talk while doing another activity like playing or walking, as this may seem a little less formal.
A good way to start the conversation might be to find out what the child already knows about cancer or any misunderstandings that they may have. Children will probably have heard bits and pieces from friends, school, television and so on. The child may have heard of someone that has died of cancer but they may not have heard of the millions of people that live with cancer. It is important to have accurate information when talking to the child. Cancer is not something that can be passed on, like flu or chicken pox. Children are often worried that they can pick it up in this way. There are many different kinds of cancer that affect people in many different ways.
Children can be quite direct and ask ‘are you going to die’. It is important to listen to the child and respond honestly, remembering that cancer can be treated and the aim is to cure. It is also important to remember that with some cancers, treatment will no longer cure and that some cancers do cause people to die. You may not have all the answers to the questions that children may ask and it is ok to be honest and tell them this. ‘I don’t know the answer to that right now but I will find out’. Remaining open and honest with the child and not brushing off their concerns or worries is what helps a child to cope if you can be with their questions they can be with the answers.
The most important thing is to be honest with children and talk to them according to their age and in a language that they will understand.
Some General Tips:
• Be prepared beforehand and practice what you want to say, as children may ask direct questions.
• Take your time and leave plenty of time to spend with the children afterwards.
• Remember there are no ‘right words’ to say. Use clear simple everyday words and explanations, especially with young children.
• Explain what the illness is by using the word cancer and that there are different kinds.
• Explain how the person’s usual wellbeing will be affected.
• Give some details about what the treatment involves in clear and simple language.
• Give children the information slowly and repeat important parts. Do not overload them with a lot of information all at once as this can be confusing. This conversation may be the starting point to lay the groundwork for open communication and you can gradually give more information and reassurance in little pieces.
• Reassure them about their daily routine and how this will change, as routine can help children feel safe.
• Talk through the children’s thoughts, ideas and fears with them.
• Ask questions to make sure that the child understands but in a sensitive way.
• Reassure children that you will keep letting them know what is going on and that they can ask you any questions that they need to.
• Listen well to the children, they will often lead you about what they want to know.
• Ask children how they are feeling and help them with the words if they need it as they may not have the emotional vocabulary.
• It is helpful to share your feelings with your child too, ‘it’s ok to be sad or if you feel like crying, I’m a little sad too because Daddy is sick’.
• Let children know that it is not their fault. Children can often blame themselves for things that they do not understand. It is important to reassure them that this has not happened because they behaved badly or said something bad.
• Let the child know the other people that they can talk to about cancer; friends, teachers, aunties/uncles, a social worker or whoever they feel comfortable talking to.
• It’s okay to still have fun. Let your child know that it is perfectly ok not to be sad or worried all the time. Sometimes it seems like an illness can take over your life but it is important to still have fun, have outings with your child. Joking and laughter can relieve tension.
It is important to know that you can ask for support for yourself around talking to children about cancer, if you need to. There are also people that can support you in the conversation with your children such as the Doctor, Nurse, Medical Social Worker or someone here at ARC House. There are also books and activities that you can do with children especially around areas like explaining what cancer is and explaining treatments. These activities include things like drawing exercises and feelings exercises that you can find out more about if you feel that may help.
Please remember that you know your children best. Each child responds in his or her own way. Trust your instincts and draw on how your family normally communicates. It is important to know that we cannot stop our children feeling sad, but we can give them information about what is happening and support them in whatever they are feeling.
Telling your children that someone important to them has cancer is not easy but remember children are resilient. With love, honest support and consistency they can become very resilient in themselves and play a huge part in the family’s journey through cancer.
Some Useful Resources:
Some really useful online resources for children with parents who have cancer include RipRap and Winston’s Wish.
Please feel free to contact ARC House if you would like more support or information on anything talked about here.
