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Patient Support Groups: Helping Patients and their caregivers cope with the diagnosis of Cancer

A diagnosis of cancer can bring out strong fears and anxieties in the affected family or social unit. While timely access to treatment and family support can go a long way in erasing these fears, there is a growing sense of isolation that sets in which can have a big impact on patients’ emotional well being. No one knows what someone is going through unless they are going through it themselves. Patient support groups address this need of sharing and learning from each others’ experiences.

Although in western countries patient support groups are an established section of the health care community, in many other countries this is still a novel approach to self help. That is, until now. In the past few years The Max Foundation has fostered the formation of patient groups in the communities where we operate as a means to build community resources and provide patients with emotional support.