1. Palliative Care Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. It includes the treatment of pain and symptoms, such as vomiting and breathlessness, caused by either the disease or its treatment. It also includes listening for what is important to a patient, whether these are concerns over their physical health, or the implication of failing health on their families, career, finances and spiritual well-being. Palliative care is provided by a team of skilled doctors, nurses and social workers, all of whom are trained in listening and working with families. They help explain treatment options, so that patients can come to decisions that are in line with their own philosophy and outlook on life. Quality of life is deeply personal to each person. Palliative care endeavours to help each patient achieve the best quality of life that is possible under their circumstances. 2. Dietetics and Nutritional Support Eating well is one way to fight cancer. Although there is no single food that can cure or prevent cancer, eating the right kinds of food before, during and after treatment can help a patient feel better and stay stronger. A healthy diet can also help keep up strength, fight off infection, prevent body tissues from breaking down, and rebuild tissues that cancer treatment may harm. Dietitians from the Dept of Dietetics and Nutrition of each hospital will be able to give specific advice to suit each patient’s needs. You can request for a referral to a Dietitian from the doctor, should you require one. 3. Medical Social Services The Medical Social Services attend to patients and their families who have difficulties coping with their social, psychological and care problems arising from ill health and traumatic injuries. The types of problems seen by our Medical Social Workers are grouped into the following categories: Psychological • Family/couple/marital relationships • Emotional/behavioural difficulties • Anxiety over illness/treatment • Loss/grief and bereavement issues Rehabilitation and Care of Patients • Discharge and continuing care of patients • Homecare • Special education/training/rehabilitation • Work adjustments Financial Assistance • Assistance with payment of hospital treatment charges • Subsidised treatment scheme assessment • Short-term financial support to patients • Assistance with purchases of equipment such as prosthesis/appliances   and treatment aids Rehabilitation The rehabilitation team includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. Their collective primary goal is to help people with cancer recover normal physical functions and independence. Involvement of the rehabilitation team may begin right from the start in some people with cancers, for example, immediately after surgery. Complications of cancers or treatment-related symptoms may be reduced or controlled in the rehabilitation process. Planning of future care is also important, so that patients can be cared for as much as possible in the place and setting of their choice. Very often, this is in their own homes. The palliative care team works closely with family members and community services to help patients achieve as active and comfortable a life as possible, despite a serious life-threatening illness. This may be done by planning for a maid, arranging for equipment such as oxygen supplies, or referral to a home care service where doctors and nurses can visit the patient’s home. Some patients may need a place in a nursing home or hospice. • Pain relief may be achieved by electrotherapy. • Special massage techniques and bandaging can control lymphoedema of the   limbs, which are associated with some cancers, such as breast cancer. • Exercises are often helpful to reverse joint stiffness, strengthen muscles, improve    energy level and increase effort tolerance. • Combination of therapeutic exercise and stress management strategies may   reduce fatigue associated with cancer treatments. • Swallowing and articulation may require speech therapy assessment   and management, especially after surgery or radiotherapy, in patients with head   and neck cancers. • Advice on physical activity participation after cancer treatments can be provided. • Breathing exercises for those who are breathless. • In some patients, a period of rehabilitation with the goal to regain the ability to   move, walk and engage in activities of daily living may be required. 4. Support Groups You do not need to be a patient of a particular institute to join any of these support groups. When first diagnosed with cancer, most patients would experience fear, anger, anguish and helplessness. But it is important for them to realise that they are not alone. Cancer support groups play a vital role in helping people cope with cancer and they work alongside conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Support groups help individuals have a sense of control and personal responsibility in their lives and their family. This will allow each patient to focus positively on his/her daily treatment and care, and ultimately enhance his/her quality of life. SingHealth’s hospitals and national centres conduct cancer support groups’ activities throughout. the year. Most of these support groups are facilitated and run by volunteers who are cancer survivors, patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. National Cancer Centre Singapore Support Programmes National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) offers a comprehensive range of Patient Education and Support Programmes. These programmes provide support at different phases of the patients’ journey with cancer - the ‘Pre-Treatment Phase’, ‘Treatment Phase’ and ‘Post-Treatment Phase’. Pre-Treatment Phase • Patient Orientation Programme ‘Patient Orientation Programme’, a half-day programme conducted in both English and Mandarin, seeks to empower patients by looking at a myriad of issues faced by cancer patients and their caregivers even before they embark on any treatments. Treatment Phase • Support Group Programme Developmental & therapeutic groupwork programmes are designed to: - build awareness of significant events and their impact on coping - create awareness and recognition of one’s choices in coping - build internal resources in coping - promote congruency within oneself • EnReach Retreat EnReach, a 3-day residential programme, aims to help patients and their caregivers cope with the different aspects of cancer by increasing their knowledge, positive attitudes and skills. The retreat, conducted in both English and Mandarin, is usually held twice a year in March and September during the school holidays. Post-Treatment Phase • STEER Programme (Support Through Empowerment, Enrichment and Resourcefulness) The STEER Programme is a community-based psychosocial-education programme. It also serves as the extension of the EnReach Retreat where former participants from the retreats could continue to meet up for continuing knowledge and life skills acquisition, and for emotional and social support through organised activities. • Self-Help Groups These are social groups usually facilitated and run by cancer survivors themselves. Groups focus mainly on bonding amongst cancer survivors. Each group meets once a month. The four Self-Help Groups include: - Gynae-Oncology Self-Help Group - Breast Cancer Self-Help Group - Nasopharyngeal Cancer Self-Help Group - The Revival Connection (for patients with cancer recurrence) Befriending Service Befriending Service runs across all phases of a patient’s journey. During pre-treatment and treatment phases, a newly diagnosed patient may be assigned a befriender, whose aim is to facilitate understanding, acceptance and compliance of illness and treatment process, with the view to lessen his/her anxieties and feelings of uncertainties. A cancer survivor may sign up to become a befriender during the post-treatment phase, and thus be assigned to newly diagnosed patients for a period of up to one year upon referral. Family Support Programmes • Caregivers’ Support Programme This programme allows caregivers to share their experience of caring for someone with cancer with one another. Participants can learn about aspects of caregiving, as well as support one another in the process. • Children’s Therapies Programme We have young parents amongst our cancer patients. These families may have young children who are mystified by the patient’s medical condition. They might have fear, uneasy feelings and inner sadness, which they may find hard to verbalise. These children would need psychological help to express their feelings and develop appropriate coping skills In collaboration with the Hospice Care Association, we also conduct children workshops on a regular basis to help children enhance their life-skills in dealing with life situations through interactive activities. The Children’s Therapies Programme, such as ‘Art Therapy’, helps children express themselves when facing a family trauma. • Grief Recovery Support Group This programme targets people grieving the loss of someone close through cancer. It seeks to offer comfort and encouragement during this difficult time, as well as provide therapies for individuals going through complicated grief reactions. For more information on NCCS’s Patient Education and Support Programmes, please contact Programme Executive. Tel: 64368117 Fax: 62272534 Email: nsstbc@nccs.com.sg KK Women’s Oncology Support Group This support group provides gynaecological cancer patients with psychological, emotional and physical support through education, counselling and befriending them. The art and crafts sessions as well as other social activities provide opportunities for interaction among patients to enhance their coping skills. Volunteers include patients, cancer survivors, caregivers, nurses, paraclinical staff and friends. Breast Cancer Support Groups Breast Cancer Support Groups were created specially to help women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and those who have undergone mastectomy. Our goal is to provide them with the emotional support and information they need, helping them to cope and fully understand their condition. Each support group is run by a committed group of counsellors from the hospital and/or cancer survivor volunteers. There are trained nurses, doctors and medical social workers who provide compassion, advice and a listening ear to patients. For enquiries, please contact - Changi General Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group: 68502992 Singapore General Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group: 63214474 Brain Tumour Support Group The mission of the Brain Tumour Support Group is to provide patients with emotional and psychologicalsupport whilst providing information about brain tumour through education and also to form a social support network among its members. The group meets bi-monthly at the National Neuroscience Institute at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Speakers are invited at each meeting to talk about various topics related to the health of the patient and treatment of brain tumours. Cancer Helpline is an anonymous and confidential service that provides credible, up-to-date information and emotional and psychological support through telephone, email or face-to-face counselling. This service is provided free nationwide and is manned by cancer-trained nurse counsellors who are able to speak with callers in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Tel: 62255655 Email: cancerhelpline@nccs.com.sg Monday to Friday : 8.30am to 5pm Saturday : 9am to 1pm