Living with cancer and hope
BRYANSTON – Living with Cancer support group aims to create awareness and get the in-patient cancer registry up and running.
Living with Cancer founder Belinda Wagner hopes to inspire cancer patients to speak their truth as she journeys to revive the South African in-patient cancer registry.
Wagner started the support group in November 2017 after she was diagnosed with a rare cancer called Angiosarcoma in 2016 and found no support groups for this particular type of cancer. “I wanted something that would provide information, encouragement and support – everything that epitomises a support group,” she said.
The support group is founded with a strong belief and trust for social media as Wagner herself used Facebook to locate not only a support group but also a clinic, oncologist and surgeon that would be able to help her. “I used social media to help me find a support group outside of Africa and [my journey] took me to London to find the medical advice that I needed. Via Facebook I found eight clinics in London, I found an oncologist and surgeon which both specialise in my type of cancer.”
According to Wagner, the most important characteristic of the support group is its accessibility. “Sometimes we don’t get the chance to meet at a coffee shop because someone might be ill. In that case, we all just gather at that person’s house, bring along some things and talk about life really.”
Through social media, she has also had the opportunity to join an international research project. “I now belong to a patient-driven research project that is run out of Boston which I was able to participate in because of social media.”
With 2020 insight, Wagner aims to raise more awareness as well as get the South African in-patient cancer registry up and running once again. The registry, described as ‘non-existent’ by Wagner, has not been updated since 2014.
“I am working with the likes of the Cancer Association and Microsoft to get a cancer registry up and running for South Africa as it could be a game-changer,” she concluded.
Details: livingwithcancer@gracepoint.co.za
For more information, check out Living with Cancer on Facebook
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https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/232464/cancer-does-not-discriminate/
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