Genetic Counseling: The Foundation has partnered with St. Tammany Parish Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center to provide genetic counseling to patients and family members. This program is designed to assist the participants in determining their cancer risk, individualized risk management counseling and options for genetic testing. By offering this service the participants are able to proactively initiate proper testing and treatment for themselves and their family members.
Personal Counseling: Cancer patients and their family members undergo many emotions with a cancer diagnosis or recurrence. The Foundation has contracted with a licensed counselor to consult with patients and their family members. This program provides psychosocial and emotional support to the participant. Our counselor works with the participant to confront the concerns of death and dying, deal with life changes and cope with cancer. We feel that this service allows the patients and family members to find the emotional strength needed to fight the cancer.
Lymphedema Therapy and Screening: Patients undergoing surgery and/or receiving radiation may develop lymphedema when lymph vessels or lymph nodes are blocked or removed. This condition is not only painful but also restricts activity. The Foundation contracts a Licensed Therapist to treat patients with lymphedema. The treatment program consists of: manual lymphatic drainage massage, medical compression bandaging, exercise, ergonomic evaluation, and wound care. Each patient is educated in a home program of lymphedema safety precautions, self-massage and lymphatic drainage facilitation exercises. WE offer lymphedema screening for all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.
Yoga: Many cancer patients report having anxiety and fatigue. Yoga has shown to decrease both of these symptoms while allowing the patient to maintain physical activity. The Foundation currently supports 5 weekly yoga programs located throughout the Greater New Orleans area. Patients have reported that yoga has given them “a new perception of fitness and exercise while decreasing stress.”
Meditation: Foundation has initiated a meditation class that teaches the participants how to guide themselves in mindful meditation. Meditation aims at developing both calmness of mind and body and deep insight into an array of mental and physical conditions. Meditation itself does not have a therapeutic effect on cancer however; the resulting decrease in stress and tension is a contribution to an improved ability to cope with the stresses of cancer.
Transportation: The Foundation provides transportation for the patients in need of medical appointments.