Cancer Therapy

Biography

Biography: Barbara Wood

Abstract

There appears to be general consensus in available literature that care for patients with life-limiting illnesses is suboptimal and that research addressing the need of this population is limited. One such need which does not appear to be addressed in literature is the incorporation of gratis in-home oncology psychotherapeutic support to address the unmet financial, psychological and psychosocial needs of this population. This discussion examines the usefulness of gratis in-home oncology psychotherapeutic support for children and adults with a life-limiting illness: A population in a period of increased vulnerability who would benefit from gratis in-home oncology psychotherapeutic support. McCorkie et al. (2000) suggest that this in turn could have a profound effect on not only their quality of life but also their longevity. As has been elucidated above, research addressing the need of this population is limited hence a portion of this discussion will be based on personal experiences as an Oncology Psychotherapist. Over many years it has become increasingly evident to me that regardless of age, gender, race or ethnicity there are many common threads linking people in the palliative stage. Threats including but not limited to financial debilitation and emotional distresses such as; fear, disempowerment, depression and anxiety. In relation to financial debilitation Finkelstein et al. (2009) suggest that individuals diagnosed with cancer are not only burdened with poor health, they are also burdened with high out-of-pocket medical expenses, the probability of being unemployed and loss of income due to the illness. These findings support the need for gratis in-home psychotherapeutic support. When addressing the issue of emotional distresses Lazenby (2014) states that 40% of patients with cancer report distress and over 8% of patients with cancer report serious psychosocial distress. Hence, as an Oncology Psychotherapist I decided to make a difference in the lives of children and adults in the palliative stage of their illness by establishing a not-for-profit charitable organization known as boob buddies Inc. Through an eclectic use of therapeutic modalities, I am committed to empowering children and adults in this population and their families, through truth, love and laughter. During the most vulnerable chapter of their lives I bring empathy, respect, humility and gratitude to the therapeutic relationship. Embedded within this relationship is an acknowledgement of the philosophical beliefs of Existential Phenomenology which profess that there are ‘givens’ in life from which we cannot escape. As an Oncology Psychotherapist I also place great emphasis on the Gestalt modality with the focus on the importance of ‘the here and now’ ‘the I and Thou’ and ‘the what and how’. Nonetheless it is apparent that the holistic approach to palliation incorporating gratis in-home oncology psychotherapeutic support is a need which up to date has not been addressed as a service which would be invaluable to this population