THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING CANCER ASSOCIATION
"Coping with cancer is never easy:
coping with it in a second language, stressful..."
Every year in the Geneva area over 2000 people hear those terrifying words: "You have cancer". An estimated 600 of them are part of the international community for whom English is the primary language.
This is the raison d'être for the English-speaking Cancer Association (ESCA), which grew out of the English Cancer Support Group set up in 1999, and has been growing ever since. ESCA states as its mission "to make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by cancer by providing emotional support, practical help and information in English." In a city of "internationals", many residents speak English more easily than French, and although the Ligue genevoise contre le cancer
(www.lgc.ch) provides valuable help to patients, there was obviously a need for similar services in English. The idea of establishing a support group actually came from William Faulkner, an American living in Geneva. He was suffering from cancer, felt very alone and didn't feel his command of French was good enough to join a French speaking support group. He therefore wanted to establish a group in Geneva where people could express their feelings in English in a confidential supportive environment. His counsellor at the time was Andi Billington. In June 1999, Andi together with Liz Rollinson-Phillips, a student counsellor, started to work on making his dream come true.
As a non-profit voluntary organization, ESCA relies on its volunteers to provide emotional support, practical help and information to cancer patients and their loved ones in the Geneva, Vaud and French border areas. These volunteers, often cancer survivors themselves, undergo a basic training course, after which they can decide what they are best suited to do: whether supporting cancer patients, helping in the office, organizing events, or publicity and fund-raising. A number of volunteers are active or retired staff members from the UN and international organizations. ESCA works closely with English-speaking health professionals and complementary therapists, many of whom volunteer their service, and close liaises with the Ligue genevoise.
Its support programme covers these three main areas :
One-to-one support : Friends and families are a key source of support, however, often a person will need to relate to someone who understands, but is also outside the usual entourage. ESCA puts these individuals in touch with a personal volunteer with whom they can build up a special relationship. This support can be extended to families of patients as well, together with providing practical help such as driving, shopping, occasional babysitting or just companionship;
Monthly meetings : In addition to themed seminars and awareness raising and special events, ESCA organizes monthly support meetings with a speaker, usually a health professional or complementary therapist. These meetings are run by ESCA's clinical psychologist, who is also available for private consultations ;
Bosom Pals : It runs a special breast cancer group called Bosom Pals (over 40% of members are breast cancer patients or survivors) which offers both informal get-togethers and more structured support meetings run by a counsellor who is herself a breast cancer survivor.
ESCA runs a Drop-In Centre, which offers a wide range of information and documentation. Visitors can borrow books from the library, buy CDs or videos or its latest publication "In Other Words", consult a resources list and pamphlets or just have a coffee and a chat with the volunteer on duty. A confidential telephone helpline is also available. Every year, ESCA holds an Open Day that focusses on a different theme where guest speakers are invited to present the topic. This year, the subject matter was skin cancer. The Open Day includes an Awareness Fair which provides visitors an opportunity to sample some complementary therapies, and there are various stands throughout the day offering advice and information. You can discover more about ESCA at
www.cancersupport.ch, where you will also find useful links to a variety of relevant websites.
For the first time, ESCA has just launched PADDLE for CANCER, a cancer awareness and fund-raising campaign involving dragonboat races on the Lac de Joux. Patricia Allen, ESCA president has said "the initial response to the launch has been overwhelming and very encouraging. UBS, KPMG, Barclay's Wealth, the Richemont Group, Caterpillar, Cargill International, Firmenich, Manor, Medtronic, Wolseley and Sanofi-Aventis are fielding paddling teams and sponsoring races. We hope other multinationals, international organizations and smaller businesses answer the call to support cancer patients and survivors in the region". Dragonboat races are now an integral part of the worldwide movement to raise awareness of cancer and to manage post-treatment of cancer patients. It all started with Canadian doctor Donald McKenzie, who organized the first team of breast cancer survivors. His studies showed that, contrary to popular misconception, exercise (particularly dragonboat paddling) was beneficial for those patients who had finished their active treatment. The first festival of its kind in the Suisse Romande will be held on September 9, 2007, with the support of the Vallée de Joux Tourist Office and Centre Sportif, WRG and Webster University. Dragonboat Events Ltd (UK) will ensure that the event will be held in the safest and most professional environment. Roger Irwin, who helped bring Dragonboat racing to the UK, says: "It's a great opportunity for community-based activities. Dragonboating is superb in that it allows companies in particular to meet with other companies and to teambuild. They can interact with other companies, get their client message out and they are in competition not only with other teams but with themselves. " Brief training on safety and technique will be provided on the day. There will be other activities such as Dragon Dancing and demonstration of Martial Arts. It will be funfilled, competitive day for family, friends and companies. Further details on the race can be found by visiting
www.paddleforcancer.ch.
