At Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, two new support groups—Life After Loss and New Cancer Diagnosis—offer patients and their families social support. At these groups, you will meet people who are undergoing similar life experiences and can offer advice and encouragement.
The support groups were begun when employees at Mercy’s Florence R. Wheeler Cancer Center saw the need. “The Cancer Center offers patients a comprehensive set of oncology services, but we also wanted to focus on the social interactions that could benefit patients,” says Vanessa Armendariz, ACSW, medical social worker at Mercy who facilitates the Life After Loss group. “These groups provide open forums for people to share new feelings they are experiencing as well as discuss fears they may be harboring.”
Help Is Here
The two groups meet on alternating Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Mercy Conference Center on the corner of 16th and D streets. Life After Loss meets on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and the New Cancer Diagnosis group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays.
“Both groups provide participants with opportunities to develop coping skills and receive support from others undergoing the same experiences,” says Armendariz. “This is a safe environment to share feelings and receive support in return.”
For more information call 661.632.5700.
