Self-Care Seminars for Cancer

Symptoms Presented Through

the Columbia Career Center

Contact: Pam Roe
S218 School of Nursing
(573) 884-2690

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February 23, 2004

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A series of self-care programs are being presented free of charge by the Central Missouri Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society. They are designed to help individuals and their families facing cancer diagnosis to learn techniques that help manage common concerns. These four 90-minute sessions will provide in-depth information and strategies on self-care of major symptoms experienced by people diagnosed with cancer. The primary goal is to assist people diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers in the prevention and management of common cancer related symptoms.

Pre-registration is requested. To register, please call 573-886-2289 or complete the form online at www.career-center.org. All four sessions will reference www.cancersymptoms.org. All sessions will be held at The Career Center, Room 12A for four Mondays starting February 23. The Career Center is located at 4203 S. Providence Rd. in Columbia, Mo.

For more information about the series, please contact Mary Cunningham, RN, MSN, AOCN-ONS, Coordinator of Pain and Palliative Care at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center at (573) 884-1836 or Davina Porock, PhD, Associate Professor at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing at (573) 884-1693.

Nutrition
Nutrition is one of the priorities identified by nurses in managing cancer symptoms. This session covers nutritional risk assessment (weight loss and eating problems), causes and treatments of anorexia (loss of appetite), and the whys and hows of nutrition support, which is sometimes used when a person is unable to meet their nutritional needs on their own.
Date and time: February 23, 6:30-8 p.m. Session number: 04WC450.1

Coping with Chronic Illness
This session will address the primary difficulties in coping with serious illness - how to recognize symptoms that may interfere with family and/or doctor/nurse relationships, the treatment regimen and the patient's ability to recover and/or maintain a high quality of life. Resource suggestions, stress-lowering methods and new coping skills will also be reviewed.
Date and time: March 1, 6:30-8 p.m. Session number: 04WC450.2

Pain
Cancer and cancer therapies can cause pain. Unrelieved it can affect activity, sleep, mood and enjoyment of life. This session will focus on the causes of pain, strategies for communicating with health-care providers as well as medicated and non-medicated pain treatment.
Date and time: March 8, 6:30-8 p.m. Session number: 04WC450.3

Fatigue
Fatigue is a very common complaint for people with chronic illnesses. This session will explore the causes of fatigue and share strategies to help manage or overcome it. You will also learn how fatigue is impacted by sleep, nutrition, medications and exercise as well as find out what type of exercise can help you.
Date and time: March 15, 6:30-8 p.m. Session number: 04WC450.5

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