Cancer patients, survivors invited to free workshops

Living Your Best Life With and Beyond Cancer & Ovarian Cancer Education Forum

MEDICINE HAT — Albertans whose lives have been touched by cancer are invited to register for two free special events this month and in October.

CancerControl Alberta offers two half-day workshops – Living Your Best Life With and Beyond Cancer on Sept. 22; and Ovarian Cancer: An Educational Forum for Women and their Families, on Oct. 27.

Living Your Best Life With and Beyond Cancer — designed for cancer patients, survivors and family members — will be held at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital lecture theatre (Level 3, Rooms A, B and C), from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22. This workshop offers tips, tools and inspiration to help make the rest of your life the best of your life. Topics include hope, physical wellness and more. A wellness fair will also bring together a range of community resources.

Video of guest speakers will be live-streamed from the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. There will also be local presentations and stories from cancer survivors sharing what they’re doing to live well.

Cancer survivors can experience psychological distress or fear that cancer will return, and may find it hard to resume work and family activities. This event provides practical information on how to help individuals and their families’ transition back to everyday life.

Ovarian Cancer: An Educational Forum for Women and their Families — designed for ovarian cancer patients, their family members and friends — will be held on Level 3 at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, Rooms A & B, from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct., 27. A light lunch will be provided between noon and 1 p.m. At this workshop participants can learn about the latest in research and treatments, as well as how to manage common side-effects.

While both events are free, regular parking fees apply. To register for one or both events, please call Gillian, 403-502-8648, ext. 1787. Registration is preferred, but drop-ins are welcome.

It will also address topics such as:

• The role of exercise in living well with, and beyond, cancer.
• How positive psychology can help you live and feel better.
• Potential long-term effects of cancer treatment and what you can do about them.

This year’s event is co-sponsored by Alberta Health Services and the Alberta Cancer Foundation, in partnership with CancerControl Alberta and the Margery E. Yuill Cancer Centre.

Note: To protect patient privacy, media cannot attend the event; however, spokespersons can be made available that day for interviews.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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