Women with breast cancer have many practical and emotional needs—nausea, weakness, fear, anxiety to name a few. Being a new mom, in itself, also raises unique practical and emotional issues such as sleep deprivation, exhaustion, lack of time to yourself or your partner, financial strain and feeling isolated and overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for a new born. Being a new mom with breast cancer combines two physically and emotionally trying experiences.
Support Saturdays, Rethink's supportive care program, will develop and implement a flexible family support program that allows breast cancer patients who have babies and small children to share their concerns about breast cancer in a confidential manner with peers and an experienced professional facilitator. This program ensures that new moms in treatment for, or recovering from, breast cancer who wish to link with peers and get professional psychosocial support, can do so easily and in a timely fashion.
The Support Saturdays program takes place in Toronto and consists of 8 weekly sessions followed by 4 monthly sessions. On-site professional childcare is provided and dads/partners are encouraged to come with the kids and partipate in an organized healthy play-and-learn activities. Morgan Livingstone a top child-life specialist will facilitate medical play and expressive arts experiences with the children and their fathers. Depending on the group's interest and needs, there may be a couple's workshop or family day incorporated into the program.
