When Julia Walker of Lititz was diagnosed with melanoma 10 years ago, there were no support groups locally that she could turn to for help or guidance.

Julia Walker (left), Melanoma Support Group facilitator, gets some helpful suggestions for her group from Ethel Wander (right), Wellness Educator at the Lancaster General Wellness Center.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of information about melanoma, and what I found on the Internet basically called it a death sentence, which it’s not,” Julia says. Her melanoma was successfully treated, and Julia’s cancer has been in remission since 1998.

Following her experience, she began to work for a dermatologist and frequently answered questions from people facing treatment for melanoma who wanted to learn from her firsthand experience. It got her thinking about starting a support group for melanoma patients and survivors.

Today, the group she started gives people in the community recovering from melanoma a place to go for support and information.

It is one of nearly 20 independent community support and networking groups that works with Lancaster General.

Knowledge, camaraderie, hope

One of the benefits of joining a support group is learning more about your condition and separating fact from fiction, Julia says.

Support groups in the Lancaster General network include: Adult Type II Diabetes Support Group Amputee Support Team Brain Tumor Community Group Chemotherapy Education Group Insulin Pump Community Group Fly Sisterz - for breast cancer survivors under age 45 IBD & Me Community Group The Iris Connection – breast cancer and lymphedema group Journaling for Healing Leukemia & Lymphoma Support Group Melanoma Support Group Memory Loss Support Group Multiple Sclerosis Support Group Red Rose Nu Voice Club – for patients coping with a laryngectomy Resolve Infertility Support Group for Couples Share Group - for people coping with the loss of a baby through early pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life Stroke Survivors Club Type 1 Diabetes Women’s Community Group Us Too! Prostate Cancer Community Network To learn more about joining any of these groups, click here, or call (800) 341-2121 and ask for contact information about the group.

The camaraderie among members is also valuable. “You meet people who understand what you’re going through,” she says.

Members discover things they haven’t considered, or get answers to questions they were embarrassed to ask. “They feel more confident when they share the experience with someone who’s walked the same walk,” says Mary LeVasseur, Well Spring Coordinator at Lancaster General.

Another benefit: hope.

“You meet other survivors and see that it’s something you can overcome,” Julia says. “A support group provides the emotional support needed during a stressful time,” Mary adds. “You meet with others and learn how they coped with the challenges they faced.”

Helping hands

“Support groups can be incredibly hard to get started,” says Julia, who started the melanoma group last summer. Lancaster General has assisted in spreading the word about this group to give melanoma patients and survivors the support they need.

Lancaster General’s support groups meet at various Lancaster General locations, including the Health Campus, Women & Babies Hospital and Lancaster General Hospital. The Well Spring Library, located at the Health Campus Wellness Center, also features a large selection of health education and inspirational resource material for people coping with a multitude of conditions, Mary says.

Some members of the melanoma support group told Julia they were a little apprehensive about meeting at a medical facility. “But actually, the Health Campus is a wonderful location,” she says. “It doesn’t feel like a hospital setting at all. It’s been very comfortable.”

A few groups are facilitated by Lancaster General professionals. However, most of the groups operate independently, facilitated by people like Julia who have personal life experience with the illness or situation.

“Facilitating a monthly group is a very demanding volunteer position,” Mary says. “Good facilitators need to be able to check their issues at the door and focus on the group’s needs.”

Lancaster General, wellness staff will meet with facilitators and provide information on running effective meetings, organizing and formatting topics of interest for their groups.

“Lancaster General assists with educational materials and, if requested, professionals from the Lancaster General Speakers Bureau,” Mary says.

Groups that are part of the Lancaster General network are addressing a significant health need in the community, for which no other groups in the area are providing similar support.

For more information related to this topic:

• More information about each of our community/support groups
• Lancaster General Wellness Center
• The Well Spring
• What is melanoma skin cancer?

 

 

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