Cancer Support Training Manual: Hands of Faith

By David J. Hetzel, MD, MBA

For patients and for families, loved ones, co-workers and friends; a diagnosis of cancer leaves an emotional, spiritual and physical hole in our lives. We are all, each one of us, affected by cancer. We at Hands of Faith, have found a way, a plan, and a path - that leads to an engaging hopeful and helpful solution for all you who care and all of you who wish to help. We have all been put here on earth to help each other. We know and we feel that we should help and we want to, but just don't know how.
Well meaning friends and well meaning family members have tried in the past, but have sometimes done more harm than good. Ask many cancer survivors and they will tell you just how many people tried to help, but how these very same people that tried to help, were unfortunately more discouraging, more confusing and more distracting to them than good. This is your opportunity and your groups' opportunity to do things right, and to be the helpful, knowledgable, and empowered care centered champions that you, and all of us need you to be. We at Hands of Faith with our Cancer Support Traing Manual - can certainly get you there !
This Cancer Support Training Manual by Hands of Faith is an essential resource for all you. It supplies you with what is needed to step into the gap and help all those with cancer. Cancer is a multi-fasciated problem; with lots of fear, lots of uncertainty, and lots of care and symptom related complexity. When you finish this training you will have enough comfort and enough understanding to handle most of the various physical, emotional, spiritual and treatment related variations that are required. You will know and understand enough to be very effective. Your main goal and your main role in cancer support will be to be there - to be there for them, to be there to listen, and to be there to help. If you can do that, be that, execute on that - you will certainly make a huge difference in their and many other's lives !

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9780983725206

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What is Cancer?

What Is Cancer?

By Timothy J. Vanderkwaak, MD FACOG, FACS

Cancer is a disease of the genes. Genes are small packages of information lined up and encoded on long strands of DNA called chromosomes. We each have 46 pairs of chromosomes and two sex chromosomes in each cell in our body. Over time, people can develop abnormal changes in these coded messages or plans found in our DNA. Occasionally, a substance called a carcinogen can increase the chance of getting DNA damage which may lead to cancer, such as smoking increases the risk of lung and throat cancer. For most cancers, however, the cancers are not caused by any substance or activity that we know of. You can inherit some of these changes, however, for most people it takes many years to develop enough specific changes to cause cancer. This is why cancers are more common as you get older. When the DNA is damaged in the right places, a cancer will develop.

When cells become cancerous, the cells lack certain growth and replication controls. They take on the appearance of immature or undifferentiated cells that you may find in a developing fetus. These cells in many ways also act immature; they do what they are not supposed to do. They replicate and grow when they are not supposed to, lacking many functional characteristics of mature cells. The cells invade or grow into areas they are not supposed to grow. They can spread outside their normal place of origin and start residing in a new place. This is called metastasis. It is these characteristics that can weaken and eventually kill the person with