MDH Cancer Crusaders Club - A Legacy

In 1988, on a personal level, I established the Cancer Crusaders Club, a support group for my cancer patients.  

In 2001, I gave it to Manila Doctors Hospital.  

In 2001, Cancer Crusaders Club adopted a new name: MDH Cancer Crusaders Club. Henceforth, it will be Manila Doctors Hospital's psychosocial support group for cancer patients and will be part of the hospital's social responsibility programs.

Since 2001 up to the present (2018 - 31 year now), the MDH Cancer Crusaders Club gets support from the MDH administration. It is under the MDH Tumor Board Committee. It has been sustained by Dr. Elsie Dancel and Ms. Beth Tumambing.  Thanks to all of them.

The original website on Cancer Crusaders Club is still online as of November 14, 2018 - http://ca_crusaders_club.tripod.com/

First group picture - December 4, 1988 

In 2014 

MDH-Cancer Crusaders Club

General Information

What is the Cancer Crusaders Club?

The Cancer Crusaders Club is a voluntary, non-profit club organized by Dr. Reynaldo Joson in 1988 to help persons with cancer cope with and fight against the disease. Thus, it is a club whose members are cancer crusaders.

Who can join?

Membership is open to all persons with cancer, to all ex-cancer patients, and to all persons without cancer but who are interested in the crusade against cancer and in helping people afflicted with cancers.

Membership is open to all persons regardless of their age, sex, race, religion, and who their primary physician is or was.

What are the requirements for membership?

The only requirement is a manifestation of intention to join the club. There is no membership fee.

What benefits does one get in joining the club?

If you are a cancer patient, the club will help you fight against cancer.

If you are not a cancer patient, you will get the satisfaction of helping people.

What are the activities of the club?

Since 1988, on every first Sunday of December, there has been an annual Christmas Get-Together of the club members. This get-together serves as a group psychotherapy session.

Since 2001, an educational program was set up in the website of the club.

Where is the Annual Get-Together of the Cancer Crusaders Club being held?

From 1988 to 1990, it was held in the Manila Doctors Hospital old conference room at the ground floor. From  1991 up to 2003, the venue had been in the Tangco Hall of Manila Doctors Hospital at the second floor. From 2004 up to present, the venue has been in the Metrobank Foundation Hall of Manila Doctors Hospital at the Penthouse.

What is the usual program in the Annual Get-Together of the Cancer Crusaders Club?

• Registration

• Welcome Address

• Introduction of Cancer Crusaders

• Sharing of Experiences

• Awards

• Entertainment and Raffles

• Universal Thanksgiving Prayer

• Lunch

• Group Picture Taking

What are the contact numbers of the Cancer Crusaders Club?

Manila Doctors Hospital

Room 301, Medical Art Center

Tel No: 522-47-13

Cancer Crusaders Club: Why I Formed It?

Reynaldo O. Joson, MD

1991

In 1988, I formed the Cancer Crusaders Club. There were several reasons why I decided to form this Club.

The foremost reason was that I saw the need for such a club. I needed such a club to help me in the comprehensive management of my cancer patients.

Treatment of cancer consists of two inseparable parts. Theses are the treatment of cancer itself and the management of the person who has been afflicted with cancer. The surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other standard types of cancer treatment that I have been administering to my cancer patients constitute only one part of the treatment. I still need the other part of treatment, which is as important as the first part. Through the Cancer Crusaders Club, I intend to administer psychosocial therapy on my cancer patients.

Since 1988, there has been a yearly Christmas get-together party of the Cancer Crusaders Club. The annual get-together is held on every first Sunday of December.

In 1988, 54 crusaders attended the affair. In 1989, only 34 crusaders were able to attend because of the coup d'etat. In 1990, 70 attended. This was the largest attendance so far.

The Annual Christmas Get-Together has always been a special day for those cancer patients who attended. It is a reunion for those who were present during the previous years. It is a day of sharing experiences. It is a day of helping each other. It is a day that the cancer patients realize that they are not alone who are afflicted with cancer. The end-effect is that the Annual Christmas Get-Together is a booster of morale and hope for the cancer patients to live on.

I was the one who gave the name Cancer Crusaders Club. I decided to use the word "cancer" inspite of its frightening effect. I wanted the members to accept that once they had cancers. I believe this is an essential step in the psychotherapy of these patients.

I used the word "crusaders" not only to describe the main purpose of the club, which is, to fight against cancer, but also to include for membership purpose, persons not afflicted with cancer yet and who want to join in the fight against cancer. Thus, the club is not limited only to cancer patients.

I myself am a member of the Cancer Crusaders Club. I have no evident cancer at the moment. I am helping people fight against cancer. That makes me a Cancer Crusader.

Beside the happiness and satisfaction that I am getting from helping cancer patients through the Cancer Crusaders Club, I want to confess that I have one ulterior motive, that of preparing myself in case I develop a cancer in the future. I am learning a lot from the patients who have cancers and who are cancer crusaders. I admire them. They are real cancer crusaders. Actually, with the Cancer Crusaders Club, I am also paying tribute to these extraordinary cancer patients.

Group Psychosocial Therapy for Cancer Patients

Reynaldo O. Joson, MD, MHA, MHPEd, MS Surg

Jacqueline I. Joson, MD

Ma. Lilibeth R. Tumambing

Introduction

Treatment of cancer consists of two inseparable parts. These are the treatment of the cancer itself and the management of the person who has been afflicted with the cancer. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other modalities of cancer treatment constitute only one part of the treatment. The second part, which is as important as the first, is psychosocial therapy, which consists mainly of emotional and behavioral support.

Psychosocial therapy may be done within and outside health care centers. Health care centers may be the physician's clinics, hospital rooms, and clinics specializing in psychosocial therapy.

Psychosocial therapy may be done by the health care providers such as physicians and nurses and nonhealth care providers as well, such as relatives and friends. Self-help groups providing psychosocial therapy are those organized primarily by patients themselves. Psychosocial therapy may be done on an individual patient basis or in group.

This paper describes a mode of group psychosocial therapy for cancer patients, how it was designed for longer sustenance and how patients and relatives reacted to it.

The Annual Get-Together of Cancer Patients as a Mode of Psychosocial Therapy

From 1988 up to the present (1999), on every first Sunday of December, upon the invitation of the authors, a group of cancer patients accompanied by their relatives and friends would troop to a theatre in the Manila Doctors Hospital for an annual Christmas get-together. The program would consist of the following: registration; introduction of members of the Cancer Crusaders Club; sharing of experiences both in public as well as on an individual basis; inspirational talks; entertainment (songs, dances, raffles, gift-giving); awarding, lunch, and then group picture taking.

The Design for Longer Sustenance

The present design of a mode of group psychosocial therapy was influenced by the senior author's (ROJ) past personal experience. In 1979, when the senior author was in his senior year of surgical residency at the Philippine General Hospital, a government hospital, he formed the Philippine Stoma Association [1, 2]. The members consisted of patients with an abdominal stoma, such as colostomy, ileostomy, and ileal conduit. Most of the patient-members had permanent colostomy as a consequence of cancer.

There was great difficulty in maintaining the association and administering the intended group psychosocial therapy. The Philippine Stoma Association lasted only for two years. The major lessons learned from this experience were:

1. Getting the members to come together on a regular frequency and often at that, such as monthly or even quarterly, would be difficult, if not impossible. The difficulty could originate from both the organizers and the members. Lack of motivation and commitment, hesitancy for group dynamics, conflict with priorities at home and in work, and travel expenses were the major causes of difficulty identified.

2. News of death of officers had a dampening effect on the zest of members for a group gathering.

3. Attachment to and rapport with organizers tended to promote attendance and participation.

4. An imposition of a fee could deter participation.

In 1988, when the authors decided to put up the Cancer Crusaders Club, the following design was adopted aiming for longer sustenance:

1. The central group activity would be an annual get-together. Other peripheral group activities might be organized during the year as the need arises.

2. There would be no officers. The authors would serve as organizers and coordinators.

3. The members would primarily consist of patients of the senior author. However, patients of other physicians would be welcome.

4. There would be no membership fee. The only requirement would be a manifestation of intent to join. There would be no fee charged for the annual get-together. The expenses would be taken care of by the authors.

The Sustenance

Since 1988 up to 1999, 12 years now, on every first Sunday of December, there has been an annual Christmas get-together of the club members. The participants averaged 100 per gathering, 50 cancer patients and 50 guardians. Of the average 50 cancer patient participants per gathering, about 20 were regular annual attendees; the rest were newly treated cancer patients. Of these 20 regular annual attendees, 5 had been attending the gathering for the past 12 years without fail.

The patients who attended were mostly those who had been managed by the senior author. The bulk of patient attendees had breast cancer (85%), thyroid cancer (10%), colorectal cancer (5%), and others such as melanoma, lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma, and osteogenic sarcoma (5%).

Author MLRT would take care of the invitations of members and entertainers as well as the whole program. Author JIJ would take care of the foods and financial support. ROJ would serve as a stimulus for the members to attend.

The total expenses would ranged from PHP 15,000 to 20,000 ($480 - $500), shouldered by the authors. There would be occasional voluntary donors. Manila Doctors Hospital would provide the venue for free.

The Reactions of the Members

In 1996, the authors conducted a survey to get a formal feedback from cancer patients and their relatives who had attended the annual get-together of the Cancer Crusaders Club. The questionnaires are seen in Appendices 1 and 2.

The main objective of the survey was to determine the effects of the annual get-together on the cancer patients and their relatives.

Feedback from Cancer Patients

The number of respondents consisted of 30 patient attendees.

Practically all respondents liked the usual programme of the annual gathering. Two mentioned that they felt shy talking about their experience in public.

Practically all considered the gathering to have the following beneficial effects:

1. It made them feel stronger in living through life with a cancer.

2. It boosted their morale; it boosted their hope for living.

3. It changed their outlook in life for the better.

4. It made them feel like an ex-cancer patient already.

5. It helped them accept their cancer.

6. It made them realize that they are NOT the only persons on earth with a cancer.

7. It gave them an opportunity to share experience with and to listen to the experience of other cancer patients.

8. It made them learn more about cancer in general, the cancer that they have, and about patients with cancer.

9. They felt the get-together was a reunion for cancer patients.

10. They looked forward to attending the get-together each year.

11. They looked forward to getting the most durable award.

12. The gathering was a form of therapy for them; it provided psychosocial support to them and their relatives.

Nobody considered the gathering to have harmful effects.

Feedback from Relatives

The number of respondents consisted of 20 relative or guardian attendees.

Practically all considered the gathering to have beneficial effects, like those mentioned in the feedback from cancer patients. Nobody mentioned the gathering had harmful effects.

All of them attended the gathering to accompany their cancer relatives who wanted to attend. Three mentioned they encouraged their cancer relatives to attend.

All considered the get-together as helpful to them as guardian in the care of their cancer relative and by attending, they also learn more about cancer and cancer patients.

Comments

In the Philippines, there are various support groups for cancers. To mention a few, aside from the Cancer Crusaders Club, there is the Philippine Cancer Society Cancer Support Group; LAKAS (Laban sa Kanser), Coalition for Breast Cancer in the Phillippines; the cancer support groups of St. Lukes' Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, and Rizal Provincial Hospital.

All these support groups have one common objective, that is, to provide psychosocial therapy for cancer patients. Most of these support groups are led by lay persons. Some by oncologists.

All these support groups have one common problem, sustenance. The factors affecting sustenance of these support groups have been mentioned in the early part of this paper.

The authors have described a design for sustenance of a group psychosocial therapy. Being in continuous existence for 12 years is enough proof of the effectiveness of the design in sustenance used for the Cancer Crusaders Club. Sustaining it is not very taxing for both the organizers and the participants, in terms of time and financial resources. At the same time, the objective of psychosocial therapy of cancer patients is always achieved year in and year out.

Summary

This paper contained a description of a mode of group psychosocial therapy for Filipino cancer patients. It included suggestions for longer sustenance. The reactions of patient participants and their relatives to the group therapy were also represented.

References:

1. Joson, RO. Problems and Rehabilitation of Filipino Stoma Patients. J Enterostomal Ther (USA) Sept-Oct, 1983;

2. Joson, RO. Problems and Rehabilitation of Filipino Stoma Patients. J Phil Med Assoc 6(1):13-17. Jan-Mar 1985.

The MDH Cancer Crusaders Club is a legacy I leave and will leave behind for my cancer patients.  

References and Links:

http://ca_crusaders_club.tripod.com/

https://rojosonfacebooknotes.wordpress.com/category/cancer-crusaders-club/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154890421180800&type=1&l=2f6e23d12d

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153943761520800&type=1&l=4aacbd123f

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153142744855800&type=1&l=df17061f7b

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152432314900800&type=1&l=cfc69274f4

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151134309005800&type=1&l=9f93c29c49

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151131176740800&type=1&l=dbd973e00e

ROJ@18nov14