Be “a Comforter” to others
Article: Lucy Yang, American Herald Cancer Society, USA
In December 1987, I was told I had breast cancer and had to undergo surgery and treatment. In January 1988, I came across a spiritual article ” Springs in the Desert”:
“The world is full of people who need to be comforted. If you want to be an angel to comfort others, you must be trained or suffer for it. For the price of this training is great; you have to personally taste the pain, the tears and the hurt, only then your life will become a healing room where you can learn the art of comfort.
You yourself must first be wounded so that while the great physician washes, disinfects, anoints, and bandages your wounds, you will learn the art of caring. “
Are you wondering why you are going through a peculiar moment of sadness? You might not understand the reason until ten years later after you have met many who had suffered the same. As you testify your pain and share your experience, you will help to heal them just as God had healed you.
It was then that you will understand why you have suffered so much in the past, and you will thank God for the training by giving you this experience.
So, I dry my tears, face the big test of life, after surgery, chemotherapy, reconstruction, and defeat my stage 2 breast cancer! However, I have never forgotten my wish to be a “comfort messenger”. In 1992, when the American Cancer Society in New York was founded, I moved to Southern California in 2002 and founded the Herald Cancer Society under the name of the Christian Herald Mission.
In 2003, I was diagnosed again with an early stage of breast cancer in another breast. This time I was not afraid, because I had acquired enough knowledge to know that I only need local excision and radiotherapy. I was amazed to find out that my two cancer treatments were totally different. Now armed with the two accumulated treatment experiences, I can help others in different conditions.
It has been 25 years since I am serving the Chinese cancer community in the United States. Breast cancer for me is not a curse, it is a blessing! It has made my life more fulfilling and meaningful, and I have become a “comforter ” for many fellow patients.
The following content is available in Chinese only.
《粉红心声》
撰文:潘瑞芬(支持小组义工)
作为一位护士,生命的意义在于尽一己之力,帮助身边的人,不论是认识的、不认识的、擦身而过的、萍水相逢的、疾厄中的,还是需要安慰的。作为过来人,我更明白患者和家属的需要和忧虑。
回想10多年前发病时,我虽然是护士,对医疗程序、用药及副作用等都有认识,但在化疗期间捱尽苦头、饮食困难,以及身体虚弱等问题,若单靠个人之力,是不容易走过的,幸好当时有另一护士同路人分享心得,她以电话提醒及鼓励我,她的出现像天使般,陪伴我过渡化疗最低沉的苦楚。
感恩能以生命影响生命,燃点自己祝福别人,让他人感到温暖,提升同路人的正能量。受她热心支持所影响,康复后我便成为支持小组义工,多年来陪着同路人走过疗程的阴谷。我相信过来人的说话,比任何人都来得更有说服力,因为每一位乳癌患者在抗癌过程中,曾经历过甜酸苦辣,对后来的患者也有参考及鼓励的作用,患者相互之间耳濡目染分享经历,说服力胜过医生千言万语。同路人的鼓励和亲身经历,绝对有助初患者学习战胜恐惧、梳理不安情绪、抱着乐观态度面对乳癌、克服治疗的不良反应,以及勇敢走出疾病的阴霾。
癌症当然不止影响病人的身体,它也强烈地冲击着病人的心灵,鉴于现时的医疗体系,甚少将心理关怀纳入作为癌症治疗的一部分。作为「粉红聊天室」义工,透过悉心聆听,除了分享乳癌信息及食疗养治外,当患者是位年轻母亲时,更要面对为了年幼的子女活下去的压力,这时需要更多的鼓励和支持,才能坚持继续抗癌,这些实际支持包括:安排孩子的照顾、化疗的副作用,以至因味觉和嗅觉变化的饮食安排,甚至如何申请药物资助,以减轻家庭的经济负担······等等,作为同路人,让患者了解可能面对的问题,以便能及早安排朋友或家人,帮助渡过人生最艰难的日子,以减低患者在疗程中的恐惧和忧虑,让患者能积极及安心面对疗程。
需要时,支持患者家人远离负面情绪,保持理性,尝试去了解情况,可以更客观地让家人照顾患者。
及早发现是治疗关键,对乳癌患者来说尤为重要,肿瘤若能及早发现,存活和康复的机率均会大大提高,而且更多像我的患者,可以有机会完全康复。
由于中西文化差异,对抗乳癌疗程的心理及生理的处理方式也有异同,「全球华人乳癌组织联盟」的成立,有助拉近华人病患者的距离及分享心路历程,希望生活在异地的华人乳癌患者也从中交流合作,找出最适合华人患者支持技巧,不须孤军作战。
《粉红心声》
撰文:巫金娴(支持小组义工)
山重水覆非末路 柳暗花明换新天
去年五月身体检查中发现自己多年前乳癌复发,正当有点彷徨之际,迎来全球华人乳癌组织社工的关爱,感恩喔!
其后,我参加了义工,在华乳WS群组跟同路人聊聊天、打打气,多聆听他们的想法、感受和担忧;在给予同路人抒发自己情感,以释放其情绪的同时,大家能互相鼓励,互相交换抗癌路上的心得,自己也有很大的得着呢!
参加义工工作,心灵的满足是我最大的收获喔!
《粉红心声》
撰文:Edythe Ho(支持小组义工)
我是Edythe何姑娘,是负责粉红聊天室的义工。我是2014年10月确诊乳癌,2015年完成治疗后,就开始做义工至现在。记得初确诊时,每次跟别人提起自己患乳癌,泪水就控制不了,后来参加别的乳癌组织病人小组,与同路人讲多了,又有护士在场解答提问,发现原来患上这病并不是想象中的害怕。后来亦跟了曾鼓励自己的义工,成为初确诊姊妹的同路人。
初时觉得当义工可以帮助别人,非常有意义。事实是:在聊天室内看到好多不同背景不同性格的初确诊姊妹,让我看到每个人都有独特性,亦学习耐性去聆听别人的说话,亦看到有姊妹虽有不幸遭遇,但仍然勇敢积极面对,更去安慰别人,这些事都给我好的提醒和学习。所以,我觉得当义工有很多得着呢!
好像最近的聊天室来了一位姊妹,每当提起自己确诊就泪水不停,非常担心,其他姊妹都为她打气,最感动的是有位较年长的姊妹,当初自觉年纪大,怕承受不了就不想接受化疗,后来想通了亦完成了治疗,她亲自去鼓励这位初确诊忧心的姊妹,实在非常有说服力,亦看到大家有康复的,有不同治疗阶段的,亦有初确诊的,大家都彼此支持鼓励,构成一幅美丽的图画,虽然有病容,但我觉得我们这一班姊妹全都是美丽的粉红天使,大家都有爱人爱自己的心啊!
对「粉红天使」的感言
天使也可来自凡间!全球华人乳癌组织联盟辖下的香港「粉红天使」义工团队,由香港一群充满爱心的乳癌康复者组成。她们都经历过化疗带来的痛苦,明白新确诊患者彷徨无助的心情,愿意为乳癌同路人提供免费化疗陪诊陪伴、粉红热线及病友支持服务;以过来人的身份与病友同走抗癌路,互相分享和支持,纾缓香港乳癌患者在疗程中的恐惧和忧虑。
以下是部分受助病人写给我们的留言:

