{"47236":{"#nid":"47236","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cancer Support Group Unites Tech Community","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESeveral members of the Georgia Tech community have established a support group primarily for survivors of and those going through all stages of breast cancer, as well as other types of cancer. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe group was established 11 years ago on campus by Susan Bowman, Academic Program manager at the School for Materials Science and Engineering, and two others. The year prior, Bowman had been diagnosed with and had survived breast cancer. \u0022Those two ladies on campus were my resource while I had cancer,\u0022 Bowman said, referring to cancer survivors who have since retired from Georgia Tech. \u0022When I came back, we established a support group to celebrate survival and help others.\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAccording to Bowman, eight women on average attend the meetings, held every six weeks or so. In all, the group boasts 25 members. \u0022It\u0027s open to everyone, and we have let [the knowledge spread] via word-of-mouth and from friend to friend.\u0022 The group is also open to caregivers and the families of those supporting cancer patients and survivors.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBowman and others, including Barbara Alexander and Sharon Hunter, say the group focuses not on the disease, but tries to help attendees look to a time when they are cancer-free. Alexander is director of Accounting with the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation, and Hunter is a database administrator in the Office of Information Technology. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMembers speak about the trips they have been on, shows and movies they have seen and in general catch up with everyone. Typically, the group meets at Ferst Place in the Student Center the first Wednesday of the month. Occasionally, Alexander says, the group has called a \u0022special meeting\u0022 for someone who has just been diagnosed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the case someone is dealing with a personal diagnosis, the conversation does turn to the disease, helping newcomers and veteran members alike share in what others have experienced. \u0022One of the ladies in the group had a recurrence,\u0022 Bowman said. \u0022I was able to tell her that I had a recurrence a year after my surgery.\u0022 \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlexander speaks of the same benefits. \u0022Everyone has different side effects [to the medication],\u0022 she said. \u0022But you can be sure someone in the group has experienced the same side effects as you have.\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHunter says that when she came into the group 10 years ago, she had already made decisions with her doctor. \u0022If I had been in this group [before then], I might have chosen a different path,\u0022 she said. \u0022I found myself saying \u0027Oh, I didn\u0027t know I had that option.\u0027 At first, you don\u0027t want to discuss it, because it would mean admitting you have cancer.\u0022 Calling the doctor\u0027s office \u0022too clinical,\u0022 Alexander says that talking with others who can understand the nausea that comes from chemotherapy makes opening up easier.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBowman agrees. \u0022[When diagnosed] you\u0027re bombarded with all of this language that you don\u0027t understand,\u0022 she said. \u0022We show [new members] that it\u0027s important to keep a positive attitude, because that has a lot to do with getting you through it.\u0022 And she adds that patients and survivors of other cancers have attended the group\u0027s meetings. \u0022All are welcome,\u0022 she said. \u0022It\u0027s very rewarding to see someone coming in afraid, and then leaving as a friend.\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll three speak of the importance of staying busy and having a larger community of people to connect with during the trying time of cancer treatment. Both Alexander and Hunter continued working at Tech through their treatments. \u0022People wanted to help,\u0022 Alexander said. \u0022They were very supportive in the office.\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile group members participate in fund-raising for people participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day and other events, Bowman adds that several-like herself-are involved in outside community groups. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0022We\u0027re very happy to talk to anyone on campus and let them know there is life after cancer,\u0022 Alexander said. \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Several members of the Georgia Tech community have established a support group for both survivors of and those going through all types and stages of cancer.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A support group for cancer survivors and patients stands ready to assist those on the Tech campus"}],"uid":"27191","created_gmt":"2009-10-28 16:06:48","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:45","author":"Robert Nesmith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2009-10-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2009-10-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"47419":{"id":"47419","type":"image","title":"Pink Cancer Support Ribbon","body":null,"created":"1449175107","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:38:27","changed":"1475894442","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:42","alt":"Pink Cancer Support Ribbon","file":{"fid":"190119","name":"iStock_000004609939XSmall_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/iStock_000004609939XSmall_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/iStock_000004609939XSmall_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":68009,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/iStock_000004609939XSmall_0_0.jpg?itok=nmTrx2Ye"}}},"media_ids":["47419"],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7727","name":"cancer support group"},{"id":"7728","name":"Georgia Tech community"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESusan Bowman\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:susan.bowman@mse.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Esusan.bowman@mse.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Alexander\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:barbara.alexander@gtrc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebarbara.alexander@gtrc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}