| How
The Singapore Cancer Society Can Help If Anyone
In The Family Is Diagnosed With Cancer
Hospice
& Community Oncology Home Care
The Hospice and Community Oncology Home
Care Group has been set up to meet the needs and
improve the quality of lives of patients diagnosed
with cancer (both early stage and advanced) in
their home environment, regardless of their race,
religion, sex, age or financial status. Coping
with cancer physically, emotionally and psychologically
is often an uphill battle for cancer patients.
For the caregivers and family members, the added
stress of rendering care to the patient and their
inability to cope can be physically and emotionally
draining as well.
Singapore
Cancer Society's Home Care Team provides the assistance
and support needed in these areas. Besides rendering
medical attention and nursing care in the patients'
homes, the team also offers counselling to patients,
their caregivers and family members. Lending a
listening ear; allaying unfounded fears of the
disease; giving encouragement and emotional support
to help patients and family members cope are incorporated
with the physical aspects of nursing care such
as wound management, administering pain relief
to provide a total care approach. The team strives
to meet the objective of improving the quality
of lives of cancer patients and help them live
as fully and comfortably as possible, especially
for those in the terminal stages of cancer.
The Home Care Team
The team comprising a doctor, nurse and
volunteers will co-ordinate a customised plan
for each patient and family. The plan provides
nursing/hospice and palliative care, education
and support for patients and their family.
Services Provided By The Team
| 1.
|
Home
visits to administer pain relief, monitor
the symptoms of the patient's disease and
discuss possible treatment options available
to them |
| 2. |
Oncology
nursing care during and following chemotherapy,
radiotherapy, surgery; wound management, and
giving dietary advice to patients with early
stage cancer and terminally ill cancer patients
as well as their family members |
| 3. |
Educating
patients and caregivers on the administration
of subcutaneous injection |
| 4. |
Routine
flushing of central venous catheter and dressing
of exit site |
| 5. |
Providing
emotional and psychological support for the
patient and his family |
| 6. |
Loan of medical and nursing equipment to assist
the patient at home, e.g. oxygen concentrators,
wheelchairs, commodes, walking aids |
| 7. |
Providing
welfare assistance to patients with financial
difficulties |
How Are Patients Referred
To The Team?
Through The Cancer Institute and the
National Cancer Centre
Through the patient's primary doctor or general
practitioner
Through the medical social worker, surgeon or
oncologist
Through family members, friends or the general
public
The Singapore Cancer
Society Fund
The Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) has
launched a S$10 million programme to help needy
patients pay for their cancer treatment. This
programme, called "The Singapore Cancer Society
Fund", is open only to patients who pass
the Society's means test. The Fund aims to help
needy cancer patients who do not qualify for the
government's Medifund assistance and yet cannot
afford to pay the costly cancer treatments.
The Singapore Cancer Society Fund was launched
in April 2005 with an initial seed amount of S$2
million. This money was raised by the Society
through generous donations from the public to
its TV charity show (The Cancer Charity Show)
in October 2004. SCS is committed to not only
looking after the patient's welfare but also in
promoting cancer prevention and control through
public education, screening and in supporting
the all important area of cancer research.
Support Groups
Reach to Recovery
The "Reach to Recovery Programme"
provides psychological, physical, cosmetic and
post-operative support to cancer patients on their
road to recovery.
Most
of the women involved in running the programme
are survivors of breast cancer. They have successfully
battled the disease and have stepped forward to
volunteer their time and share their experiences
with other women. Members meet every last Saturday
of the month for English sessions and every second
Saturday of the month for Chinese sessions.
Some
of the objectives of the programme is to provide
a listening ear, to help patients overcome the
initial shock and trauma of mastectomy/lumpectomy,
to give information on rehabilitation after operation,
to allay unfounded fears and rumours of the disease,
to provide information on exercises and helpful
hints on dressing, brassiere selection and breast
forms (prosthesis), to encourage new patients
to attend monthly support group meetings and to
provide contacts for follow up visits
Volunteers
will visit the patient while she is in the hospital
recuperating from surgery. They are assigned to
help at the breast clinics of all government/restructured
and private hospitals. Membership is free. Members
learn how to manage breast cancer and subsequently,
help others in similar circumstances. Breast Reconstruction
Associates (BRAs) is part of this Reach To Recovery
programme.
Breast
Reconstruction Associates (BRAs)
BRAs is a reconstruction support group
set up to provide a platform for breast cancer
survivors who had undergone breast reconstruction,
as well as those who are considering such a procedure,
to receive specific attention and care unique
to their needs. The main thrust of BRAs is to
be the central repository of information on breast
reconstruction. With the assistance of several
key medical professionals, BRAs is in the process
of setting up a website to address FAQs and report
on current medical activities in the field of
breast reconstruction.
BRAs' activities include outreach programmes,
educational talks and seminars as well as endorsement
from employers, insurance companies and surgeons
on issues related to breast reconstruction.
New Voice Club
Members of New Voice Club are patients
who had some form of laryngeal cancer and have
undergone surgical treatment or a laryngectomy.
After surgery, in which the vocal cords are excised,
patients lose their voices completely.
The
New Voice Club provides rehabilitations support
for laryngectomees and help them learn how to
speak again, with or without speech devices. It
also reaches out to new patients and renders emotional
support to members and their families in coping
with living with a 'new voice' after surgery.
The
Club conducts Speech Practice sessions for members
at the Singapore Cancer Society's premises. Members
are encouraged to share experiences and volunteer
surgeons are also present to give medical and
professional advice.
Ostomy
Club
Ostomy refers to the surgically created
opening in the body for discharge of body wastes.
The Ostomy Club aims to rehabilitate newly-operated
ostomates, (enabling them to adjust to a new lifestyle
and lead quality lives).
Members
share their personal experiences, exchange information.
Volunteer doctors and stoma therapists are present
at the meeting to provide professional advice
on how to achieve independence and confidence
in the care of their stoma.
Well
rehabilitated members visit new patients either
before or after their operation to render psychological
and emotional support.
Oncolcogy Support Group
This is a self-help group for patients
undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery
for cancer, run by volunteers who are cancer survivors.
Facilitated
by trained oncology nurses and ex-patients, the
group offers interactive sessions aimed at relieving
stress following diagnosis of cancer and the subsequent
medical treatment of the disease.
The
meeting session provides the opportunity for cancer
patients and their families to interact with former
patients to express their thoughts, doubts, fears,
and frustrations. They can voice any questions
they have about the disease, side effects, modes
of treatment, coping methods and so on.
Contact Details
You may contact the Programme Officer
at 6421 5803 for more information on the various
support groups.
For more information on cancer and about the Society,
please visit the Singapore Cancer Society website
at www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg,
or email us at enquiry@singaporecancersociety.org.sg
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