Cancer Council NSW services to support brain cancer patients and their families Ms Lorna O’Brien

Hosted by Cure Brain Cancer Foundation

Cancer Information and Support Services

13 11 20!

1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women in Australia will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85""

Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20""

•  Free confidential professional psychosocial support "

•  Central point to connect with all programs and services"

•  Cost of a local call"•  Staffed by oncology health professionals"•  17,000 calls per year"•  Provides information, support & literature"

Cancer Council Information Centres"•  Located in hospitals & treatment centres"•  Provide free access to printed & on-line

information"•  Trained volunteers

guide visitors to relevant resources"

•  Friendly, comfortable place to sit quietly"

•  No appointment needed"

National Pro Bono Programs """

Professionals in the community assist Cancer Patients and Carers through the:"

1.  Legal Referral Service"2.  Financial Planning Referral Service"3.  Workplace Advisory Service"4.  Small Business Advisory Service"

"

Employment"

Working Beyond Cancer Program – 1 day workshop"

Financial Assistance"

•  Assistance up to $250 "•  Once only benefit"•  Household bill payment and

food, fuel and taxi vouchers "•  Assessment by Social

Workers"•  1934 beneficiaries received

$418,000 in assistance in FY 11/12"

Financial Counselling "

•  Personal financial support for people affected by cancer with money problems"

•  Provided by qualified financial counsellors"•  Counsellors understand the financial issues

affecting people with cancer"•  Referral by social workers"•  Available in Westmead and St George Hospitals

and Sydney Cancer Council offices"

No Interest Loans Scheme"

•  Loans provided to people affected by cancer "•  No interest is charged"•  Strict criteria applies"•  Up to $1,200 per loan is available"•  Loan purposes can include; whitegoods

purchase, travel to treatment costs, car repairs and bond payments"

•  Available state-wide"

Transport to Treatment"•  Supporting people needing to travel to treatment

across NSW"•  Support provided directly by Cancer Council

Volunteers or through partnership with local providers"

""

•  Our advocacy helps to provide evidence for transport advocacy"

Accommodation"•  1 in 10 people will need to

travel and stay away from home during treatment"

•  Working with communities & hospitals to provide a “home away from home”"

•  Supportive accommodation helps to create a feeling of community & aids well being"

•  Cancer Council supports many facilities in NSW"

In Home and Social Support"•  Community volunteers

provide practical & social support to people affected by cancer and their families "

•  Programs to support people practically during treatment exist across NSW"•  In home support volunteers are able to assist

clients with light housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, transport, carer respite or companionship"

Cancer Counselling Program"

•  Provides subsidised (or free) one-on-one counselling with a professional counsellor experienced in cancer issues"

•  Can include up to six sessions per person"•  Sessions can be held face-to-face or over the

telephone"•  Referrals made through Cancer Council

Helpline on 13 11 20"

Cancer Connect "One to One telephone peer support for people:"• newly diagnosed with cancer"• undertaking cancer treatment"• encountering cancer survivorship issues""

“Talking to someone who has gone through

cancer helps me to cope, in some ways they’ve been my role

model when I've needed it most”!

Program is provided by a person who is:"• recovered from a similar cancer experience"• specially trained to provide support"• supported by health professionals"

Telephone Support Groups (TSG)"

•  Twice-monthly support group via teleconference"•  From 3 to 7 group members & 2 trained facilitators"•  For people isolated by their cancer or situation"•  Current TSG include:""

•  Referrals through 13 11 20"

Advanced Breast, Advanced General, Brain, Lung, Myeloma, Pancreatic, Carer &"Bereavement / Life After Loss"

Cancer Support Group Leader Program !

•  Supports face-to-face group leaders in NSW"•  Leaders are given support with setting up &

maintaining groups"•  Cancer Support Group Leader Training"•  Cancer Council regional offices can provide

support and financial assistance in some cases"•  Public Liability Insurance (eligibility criteria apply)"

Cancer Connections www.cancerconnections.com.au!

•  Moderated national peer-support website for people affected by cancer "

•  Patients, survivors, young adults, carers, partners, family & friends"

“I'm a 48 year old woman, living in Central West NSW, a

bit far away from support groups and such. I've just

been diagnosed with "other" cancer. I'm very glad to find

this resource for sharing stories and experiences of

real people”!!

•  Members can participate in ""discussion forums, find facilitated support groups, maintain personal profile pages & personal weblog and participate in themed Webinar/Live Chat events with guest speakers"

Living Well After Cancer Program"

•  Assists survivors, carers, family, friends & work colleagues to understand & cope with how cancer has affected their lives"

•  2 and 1/2 hr psychosocial information & discussion program across NSW"

•  Delivered by volunteers - survivors and former carers"

ENRICH"ENRICH aims to improve lifestyle behaviours of survivors and carers"

•  Six face-to-face education and skill development sessions"•  Led by an exercise physiologist and dietician"•  Classes cover:"

•  healthy eating (nutrition, cooking, portion size and fruit & veg)"•  Resistance training – home based exercise program"•  Walking program"

•  Aim is to increase skill development, personal monitoring, goal setting, problem solving and sustainable change"

•  Program is based on social cognitive and chronic disease self management framework"

Young Adults"•  Support for 18 to 45 year old survivors "•  Building Resilience workshops"•  ENRICH for Young Adults"•  Art Therapy"•  Young Adults Cancer Connect Peer support"•  Online groups on Cancer Connections"•  Webinars with specific topics such""as fertility, emotional transitions""and relationships"

Cancer Resources"•  Understanding Cancer series available in printed

and online versions"•  Information for patients, their families and friends "•  More than 50 titles covering diagnosis, treatment

and support "•  Available free of charge from Helpline 13 11 20"•  Also distributed at treatment centres & hospitals"•  Audio CDs also available on meditation and

relaxation""

Multilingual resources"

•  Free information on a variety of cancer topics is available in languages other than English"

•  Information is available in Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Macedonian & Vietnamese"

•  Call 13 14 50 & ask to be connected with Cancer Council NSW on 13 11 20 to talk to a consultant in a language other than English"

•  Our multicultural website has information in 7 languages at www.cancercouncil.com.au"

"

Cancer Information Library"

•  Books, journals, videos, DVDs and audiotapes"

•  Located at Cancer Council NSW in Woolloomooloo"

•  Consumer and health professional titles"•  Call the Helpline 13 11 20 to borrow by post

or email library@nswcc.org.au"

More information"

www.cancercouncil.com.au