DESCRIPTION

Israel Cancer Association (ICA) has various support groups:

A unique support group for couples is geared towards couples in which one of the members is a cancer patient, or alternately for healthy spouses coping with an ill partner. These groups are open to either couples or the care giving partner.

A support group for young women coping with cancer has been operating as an open support group which allows women to join the group at any stage, and also enables women who completed the support process to leave the group and return to a healthy routine. The group deals with issues relating to couplehood, family, communication with children, anxieties and more.

A unique support group for couples has been set up due to a need for support for partners of young women coping with cancer. This need arose in a group setting, within the Young Women and Cancer support group. Social Worker Mrs. Orit Spira, Head of the Rehabilitation and Welfare Department has "rolled up her sleeves" and created this group, a separate support group especially designed for these women and their partners.

"Young Adults" support group is geared towards young men and women over the age of 18, who have developed cancer in the transition from childhood to adulthood. The group holds social meetings and various activities.

Bereaved parents support group (for parents of children over the age of 18 who succumbed to cancer) serves as a source of support and a forum for sharing experiences where bereaved parents can discuss the grieving process, how one can go on living after the loss of a child, and more.

Support group for parents coping with bereavement (for parents of children under the age of 18 who succumbed to cancer) constitutes a source of support and a forum to share coping strategies to deal with the terrible loss of a child under the age of 18. This group discusses issues such as continuing life in the shadow of loss, the cancer patient's healthy siblings and more.

A Neuro-psycho-oncological Rehabilitation Consultation Service and support group for parents of children who have been diagnosed with a brain tumor is being coordinated by Dr. Michelle Sadeh (PhD), Clinical Neuropsychologist. This service was created to empower parents of children who are recovering from head tumors, which includes an initial consultation meeting with parents to discuss the reintegration of their children into the community routine. This meeting is held in all ICA branches throughout Israel, at the parent's convenience.  The parents are asked to raise issues that are of interest to them, but there is mainly a focus on how to enhance the child's reintegration back into their everyday routine, scholastic life and recreational/leisure activities.  

Art Therapy support groups are held in northern Israel, individual coaching sessions, support groups for volunteers and cancer patients, yoga, cosmetics services and distribution of wigs for patients.

A teen support group was held for adolescents whose parents have cancer. The project includes an adolescents support group that was held at school. Additionally, once every two weeks, two support groups - a bereavement group and a patient group - are held at the ICA Branch in Kfar Yona, led by ICA Central Region Social Worker, Mrs. Dana Rechavi, and Healthcare Fund Social Worker, Ms. Rita Drahani.

A support group for patients and their families opened in the ICA branch in Rishon LeZion; this group meets once a month, and is led by ICA Central Region Social Worker, Mrs. Dana Rechavi.

Two support groups for patients and their families operate in Modiin, led by Dr. Inbar Cohen, a psycho-oncology psychologist, of the Hadassah Medical Center, Ein Karem, and ICA Central Region Social Worker, Mrs. Dana Rechavi.