A Support Group Meeting was held on 7 June 2025 for CML and GIST patients in Mumbai at Tata Memorial Hospital. Suresh Pawar, FOM (Mumbai) City Chapter Leader was interviewed to share his experience. Here is what he had to say:
- How do these gatherings impact individuals, and what emotions surface when connecting with the FOM Community?
These gatherings affect patients and caregivers in different ways. However what remains common is a feeling of joy and excitement we all feel when meeting with other patients and their caregivers undergoing a similar diagnosis. It provides us with a feeling of belonging and social connection. Talking about similar experiences while undergoing the same treatment practices and accompanying side effects provides emotional support that we are not alone in our cancer journey. It also provides an opportunity to come up to date about the new developments from the world of CML through our participating physicians and by the various questions being asked by the other patient and caregiver community, giving us confidence and improving personal development.
- Now it has been 20 years since we have been doing patient support group meetings, how do you think the meetings have evolved, what are the new changes in the discussions and workshops that you are seeing?
For 20 years now, we have been holding many meetings, introducing new concepts one after another through various presentations and interactive sessions including workshops such as painting, group discussions, sharing experiences and ideas to overcome CML disease diagnosis and the challenges imposed by the treatment. We understand it is a little difficult but we are doing it successfully.
3. What would you like to see in future meetings?
While I don’t think we should change the format of the meetings, we should focus on increasing patient outreach and encouraging more active participation from those who attend. This I believe will significantly increase the impact and benefits of these meetings. Greater involvement from patients and their caregivers can help reduce the anxiety and uncertainity often felt within the CML and GIST community.
We also have a rich repository of data from doctor panels collected over the past 20 years. We should think of ways on how to leverage technology and artificial intelligence to improve access and support for both CML and GIST patients.
4. In your experience with Support Group meetings, can you share a specific instance where you witnessed a notable impact or positive outcome for a patient?
Yes, I can share a personal example.
When I was first diagnosed with CML, I felt completely alone—like I was the only person in the world living with this condition. However, over the years, attending various FOM Support Group Meetings changed that. These meetings connected me with others who were also on Gleevec and going through similar experiences. I was able to overcome the initial fear and confusion that came with my diagnosis. Today, I feel a strong sense of belonging and hope, knowing that I’m not alone—we are together in our cancer journeys, sharing and learning from each other.
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