Chelan Cancer Support Group to resume monthly meetings in November

CHELAN – The Chelan Cancer Support Group will have a new home this year at Lake Chelan Health Hospital. 

Starting Nov. 7, the group will meet on the first Thursday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital’s Bragg Room, located near the cafeteria. 

Group founder, Anne Brooks, said this gives participants a chance to grab lunch and head over to the meeting.

Lake Chelan Health Community Relations Manager, Agustin Benegas, will speak at the Nov. meeting to welcome the group to their new home.

The meetings are open to anyone in the Lake Chelan Valley impacted by cancer, including patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members. But Brooks especially hopes to help those who are recently diagnosed. 

Brooks, who was diagnosed with cancer 19 years ago, started the support group about 18 years ago after recognizing a need for a local network of support. 

As they restart in the new facility, the group’s goal is to continue providing local support, so those affected by cancer don't have to travel far for meetings. For many, the opportunity to connect with others who understand their journey is an essential part of coping with their diagnosis and treatment.

“I know so many people have gone through cancer right now, and the thing I tell them is, take it one step at a time, and this is your journey and it's nice to be able to share it with others,” Brooks said. 

“So in a support group, you can at least share this is my journey, and somebody might be able to connect with you and might be able to share their experience that may help that person,” she said. “But it's just to have that connection that you're not alone. And give some hope to people that you can get through it, too.”

Through these interactions, members can offer advice, share coping strategies, and build relationships that extend beyond the meetings, such as meeting for lunch or going on walks together, she said. 

Ultimately, Brooks hopes that the group helps ensure that no one feels alone in their journey.

“So, 19 years ago, I would never have thought I would be still in a support group and coordinating the support group,” she said. “But about the time, I think that I should, let's bag it, let's not continue meeting. And somebody else has been put in my path that you know needs that connection and that understanding and to listen to what their journey is.”

“Unfortunately, cancer is with us, and I just feel like we need to be there for each other,” she said.