Download Paula Williams Memorial Breast Cancer Support Group May 2016

BEAUFORT MEMORIAL
PAULA WILLIAMS MEMORIAL
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
MAY 2016
BEFORE YOUR
BREAST CANCER SURGERY
Set yourself up for success! Identify your risks for developing
lymphedema and receive a FREE screening with a BMH
Certified Lymphedema Specialist before you have surgery or
treatment.
YOU’RE INVITED TO
THE PAULA WILLIAMS MEMORIAL
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at Noon
at the Keyserling Cancer Center
1680 Ribaut Road, Port Royal
Lymphedema causes swelling in the arms and legs and can
prevent your immune system from defending your body from
infections. It can also make it harder for your body to respond
to treatment.
You will receive education and tips about what you may
experience after surgery and some simple exercises you can
safely do. For a FREE screening appointment, call Outpatient
Rehab Services at 843-522-5593.
Have you ever wondered where your
chemotherapy comes from, who mixes
your drugs, and how do they know it is
what you need?
Just as a balloon does not go
completely flat after it has been
inflated; so it is with your fluidstretched skin!
Our Guest Speaker has the
answers to your questions!
Come and meet Christine Davis, a
Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator with
Beaufort Memorial who will talk about
what goes into preparing drug
therapies for patients and much more!
Lunch is provided at no charge.
We look forward to seeing you!
The BEAUFORT RELAY FOR LIFE will
be Friday, October 28th from 6 p.m.
to midnight. Relay is the American
Cancer Society signature event and
honors cancer survivors, their
caregivers, and families. For more
information, contact Sue Fillmore,
Beaufort Relay Chair at 843-522-5169
or [email protected].
“Don’t miss all the good stuff that happens today because
you’re thinking about all the bad stuff that happened
yesterday.” – Eleanor Brown
Alala© -
A Unique Boutique for Today’s Survivor
Alala focuses on survivors in a way that offers privacy,
confidence and self-respect. Their certified fitters can help
you with prosthetics, bras, and compression garments.
Visit them at the Beaufort Memorial Women’s Imaging
Center the 4th Thursday monthly. They accept Medicare,
Medicaid, Tricare, and most other private insurances.
You do not have to be a patient at Beaufort Memorial or
attend the support group. You do, however, need to call
803-569-4373 to make an appointment. Please do not call
the Women’s Imaging Center.
LifeFit Community Health | 990 Ribaut Road 4th Floor | Beaufort, SC 29902 | Phone 843-522-5570
MAY 2016
From “JC” Codding
SUMMER SELF-ESTEEM
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle
and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness
sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is
light from within.”
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
WHAT TO KNOW:
Low self-esteem is defined by clinical counselors as: a
condition of undervaluing your self-worth. This type of
chronic belittling of ourselves can actually predispose
you to developing a mental disorder, and developing a
mental disorder can in turn deliver a huge knock to
your self-esteem. In some cases, low self-esteem is in
itself a cardinal feature of mental disorder, for
example, in depression or in borderline personality
disorder.
People with long-term low self-esteem generally see
the world as a hostile place and themselves as its
victim, which is even easier to do when breast cancer
has entered the equation. As a result, they feel
reluctant to express and assert themselves, miss out on
experiences and opportunities, and feel helpless about
changing things. All this merely lowers their selfesteem even further, and they end up getting caught in
a downward spiral.
Summer can often be a trigger for low self-esteem due
to physical appearance and or physical limitations that
prevent or interfere with traditional summer activities.
Be aware of negative self-talk when purchasing
summer clothing, bathing suits, listening to friends
planning summer boating trips or excursions, seeing
others get “new summer hairdo’s” or anything else
that may personally make you uncomfortable due to
your illness, limitations or self-doubt.
Thankfully, there are a number of simple things that
anyone can do to boost his or her self-esteem and,
hopefully, break out of this vicious circle. There are many
self-help activity options available created and suggested
by clinical counselors. If you have tried these or similar
with no success then seek professional guidance as
assistance with this is truly one call away.
WHAT TO DO:
Make a list of:
 5 of your strengths - for example; persistence,
courage, friendliness, creativity, etc.
 5 things you admire about yourself - for example; the
way you have raised your children, your good
relationship with your brother, or your spirituality,
etc.
 5 greatest achievements in your life so far -like
recovering from a serious illness, graduating from
high school, learning to use a computer, etc.
 20 accomplishments - they can be as simple as
learning to tie your shoes, to getting an advanced
college degree.
 10 things you can do to make yourself laugh.
 10 things you do that make you feel good about
yourself.
 3 different outfits you can wear which make you feel
comfortable about your appearance.
 3 ways you can style your hair - wig, hat, head wrap,
hair color, hair style, etc.
 3 things you can do with your hygiene.
“JC” is the Beaufort Memorial Outpatient Breast Cancer
Clinical Counselor and Social Worker. Contact “JC” at 843522-5874; or by email at [email protected].
MAY 2016
A FREE FITNESS PROGRAM FOR
CANCER PATIENTS
Please share this information
Beaufort Memorial’s LifeFit Wellness Services now offers
a FREE exercise program for 3 months (consecutively) to
ALL cancer patients!
TO BE ELIGIBLE:
 You have received a diagnosis of cancer and are
either in treatment or less than one year out from
diagnosis.
 You have a signed release from your physician giving
permission for you to exercise.
 You understand this is a benefit being offered as a
3-month consecutive exercise program based on
your program enrollment date.
BENEFITS FOR YOU:
 Free access to the LifeFit Wellness Center including
classes.
 Consultation with a Wellness Specialist to review
your health history and develop an exercise program
just for you.
 At the end of the 3 months, you can continue your
LifeFit membership for a discounted monthly fee.
To learn more, call or stop by the LifeFit Wellness Center
located at the Beaufort Medical and Administrative
Center, 990 Ribaut Road, first floor; 843-522-5635.
Help Your Healthcare Team Help You
Make a list of all your medications, chemotherapy and
targeted treatments, including their dosage and the
frequency in which they are taken. You can help yourself if
you keep track of side effects with detailed information like:
►When the side effect occurred and how long it lasted
►How strong the discomfort or pain was on a scale of
1-10
►How the side effect impacts your daily activities
►When to call your doctor or go to the emergency room
with a symptom
With your healthcare team’s guidance, it is possible to
maximize your quality of life while being treated for breast
cancer.
RISK OF INFECTION
Your risk of infection may increase with some
chemotherapy treatments. Being proactive with your
healthcare team in developing an infection control plan is
very important in reducing your risk of infection during
cancer treatments. Talk with your doctor about what you
can do to reduce your risk of infection and enhance your
quality of life during chemotherapy.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE
DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
Many people find they can better manage their health and
improve their lives with the education and connections
available through support groups.
GENTLE CHAIR YOGA
Beaufort Memorial’s LifeFit Wellness Services offers
FREE Chair Yoga for patients dealing with any type of
cancer diagnosis! Be sure to call 843-522-5635 for more
information.
In addition to the Paula Williams Memorial Breast Cancer
Support Group, BMH offers a FREE program for patients,
caregivers, and families dealing with all types of cancer.
This group accommodates men and women and meets at
the Keyserling Cancer Center on the first Wednesday of
each month at 4 p.m.
For more information, call Peggy Hitchcox, the Oncology
Cancer Center Social Worker, at 843-522-7807.
LifeFit Community Health | 990 Ribaut Road 4th Floor | Beaufort, SC 29902 | Phone 843-522-5570
ARE YOU GETTING SICK DURING OR AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY?
Do you know what foods to eat the day before, the day of, and the day after chemotherapy? If you’re not
sure what to eat, then call 843-522-5084 to set up a FREE appointment with a BMH Clinical Nutrition Dietitian
or call the American Cancer Society at 1-888-227-6333 and ask for the “Dietitian on Call”.
Bananas
Eggs
Instant Puddings, Gelatins
Skinless boneless chicken
Suggested foods to have on-hand for the Day of Chemo:
Grits
Butter
Toast, Crackers, Pretzels
Cheese
Canned Chicken Broth
Pasta, Noodles
Roasted Turkey
Popsicles
Cream of Wheat
Potatoes
Rice
Water
UNITED WAY OF THE LOWCOUNTRY
Are you experiencing difficult times? Is someone you know struggling? The United Way of the
Lowcountry is a great resource! They maintain an online directory of community resources,
including assistance for healthcare and transportation.
You can visit them online at
http://uwlowcountry.org. They also maintain a HelpLine to connect citizens with a network of
resources and services right here in the lowcountry.
Partner agencies can assist you with:
Food, Housing and Utilities
Child Care and Education
Credit Counseling/Financial Education
Health Care Counseling/Support Groups
Senior Services Volunteer Opportunities
Disaster Services
Direct Services and much more…
Beaufort/Jasper: 843-524-HELP (524-4357)
Bluffton: 843-757-HELP (757-4357)
Hilton Head: 843-686-HELP (686-4357)
DO YOU SMOKE OR DOES SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD SMOKE?
The US Surgeon General’s Report outlines the benefits of quitting smoking:



People who quit, regardless of age, live longer and are healthier than people who continue to smoke.
Smokers who quit before age 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half.
Quitting smoking substantially decreases the risk of lung, laryngeal, esophageal, oral, pancreatic,
bladder, and cervical cancers.
 Quitting lowers the risk for other major diseases, including heart disease, chronic lung disease, and
stroke.
Beaufort Memorial offers smoking cessation classes on campus and we can also provide you with a
resource list of free and low cost programs. Call 843-522-5570 for more information.
“You must remember this: you’re braver than you believe,
and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
Christopher Robin to Pooh
Cancer is so limited. It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope. It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence. It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the Spirit.
Author Unknown
It has been my privilege to serve you through the Paula Williams Memorial Breast Cancer
Group. I have been honored to work with such a fine Oncology Team at Beaufort Memorial
and I know I leave you in great hands.
You will remain in my heart, in my head, and in my prayers. I will miss you. Dixie