Breast Cancer Supportive Care Foundation
The mission of Breast Cancer Supportive Care Foundation (BCSCF) is to provide innovative service programs beneficial to supporting the needs of breast cancer patients as they transition from illness to healing and health. Led by medical personnel specialized in breast cancer care, our community based programs help to fill the gap for breast cancer survivors to deal with the psychosocial issues and delayed side effects arising as a result of having had cancer, surgery and treatment. It accomplishes this by providing individual counseling time for patients and their family members, as well as a 12-week group support program.
The Calgary community has strongly embraced the programs being offered by BCSCF and to date 1027 breast cancer patients and their family members have accessed the services of BCSCF. The program services are available to all patients with a breast cancer diagnosis who reside within Calgary and in Southern Alberta.
BCSCF operates independent of the provincial or regional health care systems. The program services offered by BCSCF are unique in that they offer solutions today to support the physical and emotional challenges which persist beyond the point of treatment and recovery from breast cancer.
In more generic terms what we do is:
- help patients to understand their diagnosis
- understand their options for surgery
- understand the treatment they are likely to receive and ways to cope with that
- explain to them about options for reconstruction
- make referrals to specialists such as plastic surgeons
- counsel them on issues regarding relationships, body image, fertility and sexuality
- give them a safe place to express their fears and anxiety
- prescribe medications if needed
- direct them to other counseling resources available in the community
- help them with the physical problems that occur as a result of treatment – lymphadema, frozen shoulder etc.
- help them when things haven’t gone quite right with other members on their health care team or during their surgery and treatment
- direct them to other resources in the community – where to go to get a proper bra, wigs, special exercise classes etc. etc.
- discuss diet and the effects of nutrition and exercise in helping to reduce a chance of recurrence
- cancer often triggers many other psychological issues from the past – we give them a place to discuss those things
- talk to family members to help them better understand every aspect of the process – we see lots of husbands
More then anything we give people TIME and a safe environment to express their concerns and deal with the emotional and physical things that need medical attention.
"I want you to know how much I appreciate the guidance, support and encouragement Breast Cancer Supportive Care provided to me after learning I had breast cancer. In the time it takes a heart to beat my life had changed forever. Within 24 hours of hearing of your practice I had an appointment to see you…it felt as if I was the most important patient you had given the time and personal attention I received at each appointment.. I drew comfort whenever I entered your office and left each time feeling a sense of renewal and hope….From the deepest part of my heart, thank you for being there for me!"
Proceeds from Fashion With Compassion are used by Breast Cancer Supportive Care to continue the Women’s Recovery Group Program. This therapeutic program provides a forum for women to share and discuss common concerns and issues that have arisen in their lives from living with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Fashion With Compassion also provides financial support for staffing of a nurse with specialized oncology skills and patient teaching materials.
For more information, visit their website at: www.bcscf.com
