SUPPORT services

Support services are an important element in the care patients receive at the Tammy Walker Cancer Center.

Cancer Care Coordinator Jill Smith Barker enjoys helping each patient as they travel the road back to good health. She meets with each newly diagnosed cancer patient and their families or caretakers following a physician's referral.

"We do an assessment to see what their needs are, how I can help them through this process and deal with this difficult time in their lives," Smith Barker says.

Once that assessment is completed, some patients may use many services, while others want little or nothing.  Smith Barker has office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays on the first floor of the cancer center.  Her phone number is 785-452-4843.

Several support groups also hold their meetings in the cancer center's conference room.  Among them: the Reach to Recovery, a breast cancer support group for women who are being treated or have been treated for breast cancer, meets on the second Tuesday of each month.  Survivors and Friends meet at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month.  Man to Man, a prostate cancer support group, meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Pam Ehlts, cancer registrar, also helps patients with several other resource programs.

One is the Look Good Feel Good program, which focuses on helping women care for their hair and skin during treatment.

"Cancer is a devastating disease," she said, noting that making an effort to keep up a good appearance is important "even when you don't feel good."

Ehlts can offer information and encouragement to patients from her office on the second floor of the cancer center.  She can be reached at 785-452-7037 during office hours of 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays.  One of the services she oversees is the cancer center's appearance center, a private area for patients to select wigs, turbans and breast prostheses.  Trained cosmetologists are also available to teach women how to apply makeup and how to wear and care for their wigs and turbans.

Ehlts, who is a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, also oversees the Boost program.  The program provides one case of liquid supplement each month to anyone receiving radiation or chemotherapy and needing the liquid supplement for nutritional purposes.

Patients who drive some distance for treatment at the cancer center can also apply for a $50 gas card.  This is available to patients who live 50 miles or more from Salina.

A great deal of information is also available for patients through the cancer center's resource library located on the first floor.  One of those sources is the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Help Computer located in the resource library.  Users can get information such as treatment options and side effects.  With an Internet connection, it can also connect users to other support services.

Link to information about other support services available.

Dietary support available

Maintaining proper nutrition and body weight often plays a major role in one's ability to tolerate cancer treatment and sustain the strength and an energy level needed to fulfill daily tasks.  Usually this requires patients to modify their diet and the expertise of a registered dietitian becomes essential.

Depending on the type of cancer and the treatments being used, patients may experience nausea, loss of appetite, or have trouble swallowing.  But there are remedies available to overcome most side effects. 

Patients may need to be put on special diets or need dietary supplements.  There are many supplements available specifically for cancer patients that pack protein, vitamins and nutrients - all of which is needed to maintain and grow normal cellular tissue.

Med-A-Van offer transportation

Cancer treatment often involves a structured schedule of therapies and appointments with physicians.  Not everyone has a vehicle or a friend or loved-one who can take them to every appointment.  OCCK and its Med-A-Van service is available to alleviate this burden.

Med-A-Van provides transportation to patients to and from the cancer center from anywhere within the 15-county Sunflower Health Network.  The service is available free of charge to anyone regardless of income status.  Donations are accepted to help maintain the service.

Patients who drive some distance for treatment at the cancer center can also apply for a $50 gas card.  This is available to patients who live 50 miles or more from Salina.

Gain confidence in your appearance

The appearance center at Tammy Walker Cancer Center can teach patients to cope with cancer treatment side effects such as loss of hair and skin irritation.  Patients learn to apply makeup, use lotions that can relieve skin irritation and experiment with wigs or turbans to improve self-esteem.  Advice is available from a cosmetologist along with special programming like the American Cancer Society's Look Good, Feel Better.

Rehabilitation therapy helps patients maintain stamina

Rehabilitation therapy is available to help patients maintain energy levels and their quality of life while receiving treatment.

Specially tailored exercises can be used to help patients maintain stamina and offset feeling of fatigue.  Energy conservation techniques can be learned to complete common tasks without causing exhaustion.

If surgery has been performed, therapy can be beneficial to regaining mobility in affected areas.  Each patient can be evaluated to address specific needs.

Support Groups

Survivors and Friends is a group which focuses on living with cancer, coping with the emotional impact of the diagnosis, adjusting to the stresses and changes of dealing with cancer treatment.  This group meets from 11:00 to noon. on the first Monday of each month at the Tammy Walker Cancer Center.

Breast Cancer Survivors meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Tammy Walker Cancer Center.

Man to Man, an American Cancer Society program for men with prostate cancer, meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Tammy Walker Cancer Center.