Development of the teenage cancer peer support program - Canteen

With current medical technology, many young people diagnosed with cancer are able to be cured or given extended periods of disease remission. White treatment regimes are meeting with considerable success, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is nevertheless often met with experiences of anxiety and despair. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of referring patients to cancer peer support groups to assist those adjusting to a diagnosis of cancer. For others, Cancer is a chronic and debilitating illness, causing family dislocation, financial difficulties, social isolation and chronic uncertainty about the future. Contemporary attitudes towards cancer and adjunctive therapies are characterized by contradictory and confusing information and engender a range of emotions in patients and relatives ranging from suspicion to overt hostility.<br />