All posts tagged: Cancer Services

Spring is here and CSN Conference is done

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After a few days of  sunny mild days, cold, rainy, cloudy days have replaced them. We need the rain as we always do especially now with trees and bushes waking from their winter slumber. I   planted these tulips last Fall. They are beauties and brighten the gloomy day. Now is time for a little break. Our CSN just completed its 6th Annual Living with and Beyond Cancer Conference. I love this conference and recall when I first attended it as a  two time cancer survivor. For me, it was a port in the storm. Now I feel privileged to be on the planning committee which becomes active in the October before the conference. The conference is a full day. It is for cancer survivors, caregivers and professionals. It is free and it includes breakfast and lunch. Our keynote speaker was Gail Rubin, author of A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for those Who Don’t Plan to Die. Excellent. Other topics included mind/body health, lymphedema, hospice, medical cannabis, sacredness in healing and more. Join us next year. …

CSN Cancer Support Groups New Mexico

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Cancer Support Now’s PEER-FACILITATED SUPPORT GROUPS   For contact information and details on support groups,                                                                     please call the Helpline Telephone: 505-255-0405, toll free 855-955-3500 New groups which have transitioned over from PLTC as of April 2016 are marked with an asterisk,*. 5/2016 Advanced Diagnosis Group * 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 1:00PM NE Heights Blood Cancer Group * For those dealing with a blood or lymphatic cancer 2nd and 4th Tuesday, 1:00-2:30PM North Valley Breast Cancer Group * Every Wednesday 6:00-7:30PM NE Heights Coloring & Creativity * All cancers, survivors and caregivers TBA Friends and Family Writing Together Journaling Support Group for Grief or Anticipatory Grief Every Thursday, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM UNM Cancer Center Isleta Cancer Education and Support 2nd Tuesday of the month, 10:30-Noon Isleta Health Clinic Late Afternoon Breast Cancer Group Every other Wednesday, 5:00 PM to …

Laughter Yoga

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Did you miss Laughter Yoga at the Conference? Or perhaps you would like to do it again?   Laughter Yoga led by Barbara Carroon, certified laughter yoga instructor, is offered at Cancer Support Now’s Fourth Saturday Support Group  April  23, 2016  11am Adelante  in Albuquerque. Call Patricia Torn at 307-3414 or email her at ptorn@comcast.net  to let her know you are attending. Open to all caregivers and survivors.   Directions to Adelante 3900 Osuna NE: Take San Mateo exit off I-25. Head west on Osuna. 3/10’s mile west of Jefferson (there is a McDonalds at the se corner of Jefferson and Osuna), on south side of Osuna, turn south on Gluton which runs the along west side of Adelante. First place you can turn left takes you into the west side parking lot of Adelante. Located on first floor. Do not go to the Big doors main entrance. To the right of those doors  enter through the first small door in the middle of the building on west side.       “Wake at dawn with a winged heart and be thankful for another day of loving.”   KAHLIL GIBRAN   http://www.cancersupportnow.org Like us on facebook    http://www.facebook.com/cancersupportnow Patricia Torn Director of Programs  

Eleanor Schick

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  I instantly liked Eleanor when I met her. She pays attention to you when you are speaking to her. She cares,  is thoughtful and helpful. She manages the Cancer Support Now Helpline which is available seven days a week for those in the community who need answers to questions about their or a family member’s cancer.   She is available 9 am to 9 pm 7 days a week by calling: 505-255-0405 or 855-955-3500. This is what she told me about her work with the helpline: “I refer callers, whether caregivers or patient/survivors to groups, or to one on one support or when neither seems appropriate I provide support to them in the moment, and on an ongoing basis, and whenever they need, sometimes for years. Though cancer issues are what prompts someone  to make the first call, supporting them becomes whatever they need…whether its referrals to other providers, or ongoing emotional support…about cancer but also about anything. There are some people who need support but ask me to please call them regularly, rather than initiating the …

Cancer Support Now Conference time

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I was selling raffle tickets for our chocolate gift basket♥. Guests were choosing items from the breakfast table. Others were meeting old friends; starting new friendships registration packets in hand.  Sandy♥ was on the stage ready to welcome everyone. Dr Michael Linver♥ would be arriving soon for the keynote. I stood there talking with a woman who has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She had the surgery a few weeks ago and would be having radiation next. Her experience had been such a whirlwind that she was still absorbing what had happened to her. She was looking for answers. And she wanted to feel that she was not the only one. She was tentative. But she was here. She was me one year ago. One year ago I had completed breast cancer radiation three months before  and thyroid cancer radiation one month before. The conference was new to me. It was a port in the storm.  Kind faces not in scrubs. Welcoming. Informative. A chance to speak out. A chance to hear and be heard. I was …

Presbyterian Cancer Education Series 6 week workshop

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Workshops   Silver Linings Survivorship Services: bring out the best you through exercise Funded by Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital, 8300 Constitution Ave NE, ABQ, NM 87110   www.phs.org Six week program, 2 hours. All sessions include stretching and journaling. Each week is themed with an expert speaker. Intro, lymphedema, fatigue and activities of daily living, nutrition and dietary considerations, peripheral neuropathy and cognitive impairment, long term side effects and exercise. Excellent program. Informative and helpful. Well worth it. We all agreed that we learned a lot. Gretl Berneart OTR/L, CLT-LANA                           Ada Portman, MPT, CLT                  Ann Mustoe, RN ONS Jan Esparza, RD                  Monica Bartley, Exercise Specialist I understand that this program will be repeated.  Contact 505-559-8761 to find out more about the workshop

Caring Hearts Support Group starts this week

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Caring Hearts Support Group             Thursday                Nov 6                    at 2:30 pm (lunch arrives at 2pm).                     Place Aggies Conference Room, Presbyterian Medical Group Building                                           2nd floor, by Oncology waiting room This is a longstanding group facilitated by Eve Concoran, Chaplain. Call Eric Mehringer  559-8761 Dates:  Nov 6, 13, 20    December 4, 11 All cancer patients and loved ones are welcome I started attending this group in February. It has helped me in so many ways. A big one is that it has helped my process. I was hit with severe RA and two cancers within 11 months of each other.  Tough to assimilate surgeries, radiations, tons of meds. Total life change.  This group is amazing. It also offers resources and friendships. Kindred spirits. Come join us.

Cancer Club Thoughts for the day: MOJO

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I am working a plan to get my mojo back. Still recovering from two radiation treatments with more treatments on the horizon, I’m still a woman of little energy. The Health Plex associated with Presbyterian Hospital Systems here in ABQ offers a 10 week cancer rehabilitation program called Thrive. I decided that it was just what I needed. On my last visit to my endocrinologist, I did persuade her to sign off on the program. I paid my $90 and submitted my paperwork. Fairly quickly I had an appointment with an exercise specialist for an evaluation.  Vitals, O2 sat, balance, body fat, weight(ugh!) and all those important numbers to see where my fitness level stood. The next day I was started on a plan with several exercise machines. The routine is to check in and have my blood pressure, O2 sat and well being checked. On Tuesday and Thursday I work the machines supervised. Pulse rate is checked between machines. BP and sat are checked  when I am done. Monday I go to a special …

Spring 2014 Family Cancer Retreat

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Cancer Services of New Mexico’s Spring 2014 Family Cancer Retreat  starts tomorrow May 2,  2014.  It is a weekend all expense paid retreat at the Pyramid, a popular hotel in Albuquerque. It is for cancer survivors, their caregivers, i.e. family. There are presentations on every aspect of cancer, for example:  Patient and Family Communications in Serious Illness, New Developments in Cancer Treatment,  Talking with Kids about Cancer.  There is a creative expressions workshop, Yoga for Happiness and Healing. A wide range of activity.  One on one counseling sessions. Too late to sign up for this one. There will be another in the Fall. You will need to send in an application. Your oncologist (or your doc managing your care) will need to send in a form. Cancer Services of New Mexico                                                                                                                   P O Box 51735, Albuquerque NM 87181-1735                                                                                        Phone:   505-259-9583                Email:    info@cancerservicesNM.org                                  Website:   http://www.cancerservicesNM.org The New Mexico Department of Health  and United Way of Central New Mexico are also sponsors.