Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/507057
SUMMER 20 15 | C A NCER FIGH T ER S THRI V E 23 C A NCERFIGHTER S THRI V E .COM orothy from the beloved movie The Wizard of Oz had it right when she said her famous line, "There's no place like home." For patients undergoing cancer treatment in a new city, far from family and the comforts of home, that sentiment can be especially true. "One of the things we deal with a lot when it comes to fghting cancer is that there is such a lack of control over what is going on in a patient's body," explains Tanis Taylor, LMFT, Mind-Body Therapist at Cancer Treatment Centers of America ® (CTCA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Being able to exhibit some control over even the seemingly simple areas, like the environment we are in, can be empowering." Small Steps, Big Impact Small actions can make a big difference. To make a hospital room feel more like home, Taylor suggests that patients bring their own pillow, photos of friends and family, or a favorite blanket with them when they come to the hospital for treatment. She recalls working with one patient who covered the walls of his hospital room with letters, drawings and notes of encouragement from his community back home for support. Sara Wargo, Guest Quarters and Salon Manager at CTCA ® in Zion, Illinois, has seen patients and care- givers bring a wide range of similarly comforting items throughout her seven years at the hospital: "I've seen patients bring special pillows and blankets, a Christmas tree, a recliner, lots of pictures, ceramic fgures, pets, religious objects, slippers, special coffee mugs, towels, laptops, crock pots, CDs, DVDs and air fresheners." Wargo is responsible for the daily operations of Guest Quarters North and West, a facility at CTCA in Zion that operates like a public hotel, with more than 130 rooms combined. Both Guest Quarters offer complimentary beverages, snacks, living rooms, ftness centers, guest computers and weekly activities—all with the goal of making guests feel cared for and supported. "Our goal is to make each Guest Quarters feel like a patient is return- ing home. We use warm and inviting colors, comfortable furniture and welcoming faces to achieve this atmosphere," Wargo explains. Both Taylor and Wargo encourage patients and caregivers to bring the items they use at home daily to create a more homelike atmosphere throughout treatment and to remind them of the comfort they feel in their own environment. Some patients have experimented with other unique ways to incorpo- rate the comforts of home into their time in treatment. Read on for their stories. An Adventure in Arizona After making the four-and-a-half- hour trip between her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, and CTCA in Goodyear, Arizona, for treatment for pancreatic cancer, Jeana Churchill had enough of being away from home and came up with a creative solution to ensure that she spent time with her family. Being together made the journey easier on the entire family because it enabled them to feel a sense of routine and normalcy. t Jeana Churchill and family