N.W.T.-based project would see supportive text messages sent to cancer survivors
CBC
A support group in the N.W.T. is working on a new research project that would send text messages of support and encouragement to women after they've finished their cancer treatments.
The messages — still being developed — could focus on things such as how to deal with chemotherapy brain fog, or the importance of mental and physical health post-treatment.
"Feeling isolated after you finish your treatments, you're sort of not in a system where you know they're watching you under a microscope anymore," said Rosanna Strong, a member of the N.W.T. Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group.
"It feels like you're kind of punted out and left to wander in the wilderness by yourself."
The text-message project is meant to help people deal with those feelings of isolation.
It works as a one-way texting system. A couple of times a week, messages will be sent out at different times of the day to women who have finished treatment for breast, lung, colorectal, cervical and ovarian cancer.
The N.W.T. group teamed up with the University of Sydney in Australia to work on the research project, and it's still in the development stage.
Strong said the project is important because there is very little support, especially in remote communities in the N.W.T., to help cancer patients after they've completed their treatment. She said that post-treatment, cancer survivors can still be dealing with aftereffects.
"You know, like neuropathy at the end of your fingers — where you can't pick up a needle to maybe do beading or something. How do you handle that?" she said. A text message would just be another way of offering support, she said.
The project hits close to home for Strong who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. She hasn't had a recurrence in 15 years, but still worries it will come back.
"I still get triggered every time I go for my annual checkups and my regular mammograms. So yeah, it's, you know, it's something that doesn't go away. It's something you live with," she said.
Strong said it's been an honour to work on the project and help provide support to other cancer survivors.
Focus groups have already been conducted where cancer survivors, medical professionals and caregivers gave input on what sort of themes the texts should focus on.
That may include things like returning to work or navigating health care post-treatment, accessing educational resources about cancer, mental and physical health, nutrition, and support programs available in the N.W.T. or elsewhere in Canada.
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