The Gathering Place Offers Its Support
By Eileen Saffran
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    Hearing the words, “You have cancer,” or learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with the disease can be a frightening and overwhelming experience. Often the news brings a flood of conflicting emotions, dozens of unanswered questions and a sense of not knowing where to turn. One local organization offers its support.

    At The Gathering Place, a highly-acclaimed, cancer-support center in Northeast Ohio, “participants” (clients) can get information, receive emotional support and utilize services to help manage the stress that often comes with a cancer diagnosis with a mind-body-spirit approach. In its five years of supporting, educating and empowering people whose lives are touched by cancer, The Gathering Place has hosted more than 50,000 visits, helping more than 9,000 individuals by providing support groups, yoga classes, children's programming, medical bill consultations, art therapy and countless other programs and services.

    The organization's programs, all offered free of charge, are designed to address the issues of different styles of coping as well as to respond to individuals' needs at any point during the cancer journey. Participants who come to The Gathering Place may be newly diagnosed, currently receiving treatment, just completing treatment or are long-term cancer survivors. And, because cancer profoundly affects everyone it touches, The Gathering Place offers its programs and services to the family and friends of those directly affected by cancer as well.

    Many turn to The Gathering Place because they want information on a particular type of cancer and the available treatment options. The medical librarian can transform a pathology report into common, everyday terms, help answer questions, direct participants to appropriate websites and help locate additional resources in the community. The lending library houses books, audiotapes and video tapes on the types of programs offered, such as nutrition, yoga, guided imagery and spirituality.

    Some participants come to The Gathering Place to talk with others who are having or have had an experience similar to theirs. Participants can make use of various support groups, with some for those who have been diagnosed and others for family members and friends. Groups meet either on a weekly or monthly basis to accommodate a variety of schedules and preferences. Professional clinical staff members facilitate all groups. Participants who feel more comfortable talking one-on-one can be assigned a “buddy,” i.e. someone who has experienced cancer and is far enough along on his or her journey to offer perspective and support.

Opened to the public in May 2005, Norma’s Garden at the Gathering Place offers an outdoor oasis specifically designed to stimulate the senses and help participants connect with nature.

    From parents to siblings to friends, entire families utilize The Gathering Place. Special children's programs help children cope with an adult family member's diagnosis. Children learn basic information about cancer and participate in groups and other activities to find effective ways to express feelings, communicate with others and manage change. Most importantly, in the midst of the burdens affecting their families, they still have the chance to be children. Support also is provided to families with a child diagnosed with cancer.

    Among the many programs and services offered at The Gathering Place, “Look Good Feel Better,” a program supported by three sponsors – the American Cancer Society, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association and the National Cosmetology Association – helps survivors deal with hair loss and changes to their skin as a result of treatment. Gentle movement classes, yoga, tai chi and Pilates are offered for those at low-energy levels and for those who may still be dealing with the effects of treatment. These classes help with stretching, boosting energy and releasing tension. A basic nutrition class offers the foundation to build a healthy diet for cancer recovery.

    Opened to the public in May 2005, Norma's Garden at The Gathering Place offers an outdoor oasis specifically designed to stimulate the senses and help participants connect with nature. The innovative 11-room healing garden offers a soothing waterfall, a children's area complete with a storybook maze, an edible garden and more than 80 species of shrubs, perennials and grasses. Participants can choose to spend time alone in the garden reflecting or meditating or take part in horticulture therapy, a summer cooking class or a calming walk on the garden's portable labyrinth.

    Visitors quickly find that The Gathering Place is more than just a place; it is a community of people living with cancer. Regardless of age, sex, race, income, geography or even type of cancer, individuals come together every day and provide each other with a place to talk, share, listen, laugh, cry, express fear, courage, joy and hope.

Eileen Saffran is the founder and executive director of The Gathering Place. Prior to creating The Gathering Place, Saffran spent 23 years as a social worker in the health-care arena. She served as a licensed independent social worker in both an institutional and private-practice setting where she focused on chronic illness and the family.

For more information on The Gathering Place, please contact the organization at (216) 595-9546, visit its website at www.touchedbycancer.org or stop in at 23300 Commerce Park in Beachwood behind the Beachwood post office.