“You’re not alone and our group is here to help.” That is the message cancer survivors Donna and Doug Murray want people in Orillia to hear.
Both have surmounted the challenge of the disease with Doug being cancer free since 2013 and Donna since 2018.
They found great medical support from their oncologist, whom they shared, but nothing for the rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions they experienced going through and coming out of their ordeals.
Their biggest surprise along the cancer journey was there were no local resources in Orillia for them.
That's why they’ve started the Orillia Cancer Support Group with the aid of Kim Henshall an RN who works with oncology patients.
“Everyone we’ve talked to thinks they are alone dealing with this,” said Donna. "But everyone now knows someone with cancer. It’s affecting everyone," added Doug.
They are looking for their group to connect with anyone affected by the disease.
“We're trying to get all sorts of people, not just people with cancer, but survivors, partners, parents, children of someone who has cancer," said Donna.
“It’s an emotional battle, because you don’t know if you or your loved one are going to come out of it,” added Doug.
Right now the group is just starting back up after a summer hiatus. She said they were searching for a long time for a gathering space and were happy when the Lake Simcoe Retirement Residence on Simcoe Street offered them a spot on their third floor, where they now meet every Friday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“If someone else is going through what I went through, I want to be able to help them,” said Doug.
Donna said the biggest challenges are what the mind creates,
“It's mainly emotional, people not understanding what's happening to them and asking why do I feel this way? Why am I so upset?”
Donna has already drawn inspiration from one who discovered the group. “We had one elderly woman show up with a cancer they cannot fix. She stood up and she said, I'm not dying of cancer. I'm living with it. She dances, she fishes, she sings, does art. She has a wonderful attitude.”
The vision of the Murrays is to have the participants needs drive and grow the group. “I will ask people what they want, too. If they just want to sit around and talk, fine. But if they want to have a doctor or a nurse or to answer questions, that would be good. But it will be what they want, what they're comfortable having,” said Donna.
They are looking forward to seeing new faces this Friday and subsequent Friday afternoons on the third floor at the Lake Simcoe Retirement home at 24 Simcoe Street.
