On Wednesday 20 January, special talk therapy and yoga groups for men with cancer will start at the University Hospital. The self-help course, which is free of charge, is given on Wednesdays at 15.00 at the oncology clinic.
Counselling and yoga have been available as a self-help course at Uppsala University Hospital since 2006. So far, more than 800 cancer patients have attended the five-week course, which in addition to yoga sessions includes cognitive counselling, dietary advice and information meetings on various themes. The aim is to help participants find new ways and strategies for dealing with life issues, and to encourage exercise and meetings with others in a similar situation. Thanks to a grant from the Swedish Cancer Society, the courses are free of charge for all participants from this year onwards.
- "The new men's groups aim to meet men's special needs and issues," says Ann-Charlotte Pellettieri, psychotherapist and project manager. A cancer diagnosis often means great physical and emotional strain. Pain and stiffness in the joints are not uncommon. Difficulty sleeping and anxiety, combined with a weakened immune system, cause many people to isolate themselves.
Participants are of different ages and come from oncology, urology, pulmonology or haematology. Some have just been diagnosed while others have relapsed. A smaller group is medically ready for treatment.
- They draw strength from each other and learn different techniques to rest in the present and draw strength from it. Some participants have been involved for several years. "It is precisely this breadth that is the strength of rehabilitation," says Ann-Charlotte Pellettieri.
Two evaluations of the effects of the therapy on cancer patients are currently underway, one of them commissioned by Uppsala County Council. About a hundred participants are answering questions about how the rehabilitation has affected both psychological well-being and quality of life. The other study is part of two nursing students' c-thesis.
The self-help course is organised by a team of oncologists, nurses, yoga teachers, a counsellor, a certified nutritionist and an art therapist.
