12-2-08

Dealing with Cancer During the Holidays

Dealing with cancer is very stressful for families and the stress can be increased during the holidays.

Families who have someone diagnosed with cancer are faced with multiple stresses caused both by the disease and by seasonal activities.  But, Rebecca Loschen (Lush’-en), social worker at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says the holidays can be enjoyable for the individuals with cancer and their families if everyone helps with the preparation.

SOUND BITE: “. . . as long as the person with cancer lets everybody help depending on what kind of treatment they are undergoing, because some treatments can make you very tired.  So taking more of a delegating role in the holidays and having people bring in potluck dinners and things like that, you can still have it in your home.” 

Loschen says communication is the key to getting through the holidays.  She advises families to listen to the concerns of the person with the disease.  As much as possible, activities should be planned around their wishes and energy level.

SOUND BITE: “Deciding what’s most important to you when you are celebrating the holidays is very important.  So if you usually do sixteen things during the holidays, picking out the ones that it would not seem like the holidays without these certain things – those are the most important things and that’s what you should try to do.” 

Loschen says families should involve the person who is ill in the activities and make sure they feel part of the festivities.  She recommends that families focus on being together rather than focusing on the illness.   If someone has serious difficulty coping with the illness, they should contact a local cancer support group, mental health counselor or family physician.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.