Support groups
Support groups bring people together and provide a safe forum for exchanging perspectives, sharing concerns, and gaining confidence to face the future. Support groups are typically led by a trained health care professional. “Peer support” is a term we use to refer to advice and help received from fellow patients or people without medical training.
Benefits of support groups
The common experience among members of a support group often means they have similar feelings, worries, everyday problems, treatment decisions or treatment side effects. Participating in a group provides you with an opportunity to be with people who are likely to have a common purpose and likely to understand one another.
Benefits of participating in a support group may include:
- Feeling less lonely, isolated or judged
- Reducing distress, depression, anxiety or fatigue
- Talking openly and honestly about your feelings
- Improving skills to cope with challenges
- Staying motivated to manage chronic conditions or stick to treatment plans
- Gaining a sense of empowerment, control or hope
- Improving understanding of a disease and your own experience with it
- Getting practical feedback about treatment options
- Learning about health, economic or social resources
Support Groups
Grief Support Group
Tuesday Wellness Support Group
The Tuesday group has an emphasis on living well. The group is mixed, and partners are welcome. This professionally facilitated group is a safe and vibrant space to share your story. Find commonality and strength in sharing experiences with other group members.
Cottesloe: Tuesday, 10.00am-12.00pm (Weekly)
Women's Circle Support Group
There’s a remarkable power in the sisterhood. Never more so than when faced with something as intense and serious as cancer. You’re welcome to join the wonderful women of our community coming together to share, laugh and cry, providing unconditional support for one another in an intimate, female only setting.
Cottesloe: Wednesday, 10.00am-12.00pm (Weekly)
Solaris Cancer Care Facebook Support Group
This group is for people affected by cancer in Western Australia. Here you can share and discuss anything related to your experience with cancer. This group is moderated by qualified mental health professionals in a volunteer capacity, and is not a crisis service.
You can call our offices in business hours on (08) 9384 3544.
If you need support after hours please contact one of the following:
Lifeline 13 11 14, Beyond Blue 1300 224 636, or the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Find us by searching ‘Solaris Cancer Care Support Group’ on Facebook or click here.
No cost and bookings NOT required.
Look Good Feel Better
Virtual workshops are running throughout June and July. Visit the Look Good Feel Better website: https://lgfb.org.au/ to book and to view other dates and venues.
Contact your nearest centre to make a booking
Solaris Cancer Care Regional Centres
Solaris Cancer Care South West Region
Solaris Cancer Care South West
72 Brittain Road, Bunbury
Telephone: (08) 9791 1559
Solaris Cancer Care Great Southern Region
Solaris Cancer Care Great Southern
Ambulatory Cancer Care Centre Albany Health Campus
Solaris Cancer Care Carer's Course
The course will cover:
- Effective Communication with family, friends and medical personnel
- Managing Medication
- Managing Pain
- Managing Symptoms
- Practical Aspects
- Good Nutrition
- Exercise
- Self-Care
- Complementary therapies: what are they and how can they help?
All course materials, lunch and refreshments supplied.
Outreach Services
Our community outreach programs involve Solaris Cancer Care taking its services to regional and outer metropolitan areas, or specific groups of people, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to access these services.
The Outreach Support program fulfils an often unmet need by reaching out to people within the community who are unable (for reasons including being too unwell, incapacity, disadvantage or disability) to attend our in-house programs or services.
The outreach program includes regular phone or Skype contact, home/hospital care packs, visits and outreach counselling services. Counsellors are available for members during times of crisis or critical care, maintaining a strong sense of support and links with the culture, community, and the resources of Solaris Cancer Care.
We are sensitive to the diverse needs of CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) populations and endeavour to respectfully serve all people affected by cancer, and link people to services where our capacity does not currently extend. If you are a service provider who would like to discuss client needs and opportunities for cross referral we welcome your contact.
Check out our program to see what Outreach Support is on offer, or select an item from the Outreach sub-menu. You can also contact us to discuss our Outreach services.
Regional Support Groups
The support groups in regional areas allow country people to share experiences and make connections in their communities. Please contact the following people for more information:
- Busselton – Sue Evans 0438 554 126
- Walpole – Dianne Pickersgill 0423 937 188
- Manjimup – Beth Askew 9769 1026
If you are interested in setting up other regional groups, please email info@solariscancercare.org.au.
CANSurvive, Busselton
2nd Thursday of month 1pm-3pm
The CANSurvive Support Group in Busselton is supported and endorsed by Solaris Cancer Care. The group is facilitated by Sue Evans, and have been meeting for seven years, supporting men, women and their carers with all sorts of cancers.
The meetings are structured around sharing experiences with like-minded people, supporting each other without judgement and providing information from guest speakers and from people’s own journeys. The group overflows with compassion and eases the fear of going the journey alone.
Please contact Sue Evans directly for more information and venue information on 0438 554 126.
Additionally, Solaris Cancer Care has two regional cancer support centres in WA, provide a retreat for patients, families and carers.
