Image Credit: Global News

By Silvia Senna

SUPPORTIVE CANCER CARE

Kamloops cancer support organizations join together to bring supportive cancer care

Jan 26, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Fifty per cent of people in Kamloops will be affected by a cancer diagnosis. With that in mind, Kamloops Cancer Supportive Care Society (KCSCS) has partnered with InspireHeath to bring the two-day InspireHealth Life Program to the city. The goal is to provide easier access to supportive care services for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers.

Over the course of a lifetime, one in two people will be directly impacted by cancer. Once treatment is completed, supportive care is often overlooked.

“More and more cancer patients in Kamloops are living past the diagnosis and… longer than they ever have before,” explained KCSCS Vice-Chair Ann McCarthy. “B.C. has focused a lot on treatment and research. At this point, there’s not been a lot of focus from the medical system on supportive care.”

McCarthy, who is a cancer survivor, understands the importance of supportive care throughout any cancer treatment.

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“When I talk about supportive care, I’m talking about all the things that support you with quality of life issues once you’ve had a cancer diagnosis. It’s mental health and emotional counseling, physical support, physiotherapy, lymphedema information — and we don’t get that in Kamloops through the medical system,” she said.

That is why KCSCS has partnered with InspireHealth to bring in-person support to those who need it.

“It’s really a foundational program that provides people with cancer as well as their loved ones, essential foundations and the health and well-being of them and their loved ones during their cancer journeys,” explained Dr. Hannah Nette, Director of Clinical Services with InspireHealth.

Dr. Nette will be leading the two-day in-person program. However, help for patients and caregivers is offered online and free of cost on a daily basis.

“There’s no referral or special process that’s needed. It’s a very simple registration process and then they can get started whether or not they want to get that individual support with one of our clinicians or whether or not they want to join our group programs, they can do that in a very fast turnaround time,” said Dr. Nette.

“What we’re doing is not just keeping you alive, but it’s supporting your quality of life after a cancer diagnosis,” McCarthy added.

McCarthy hopes this is just the start for what can become an ongoing in-person support.

“Ideally, we would love to have a program once every two months. We’re having one program next week, end of January, and our next program is the beginning of April this year. We’ve found out that there is a demand for the programs and that the feedback is has been very positive,” she explained.

In the meantime, those who want to access the virtual support, can visit InspireHealth and register.