Center teaches patient ministry

Free lay training is being offered to congregations wishing to learn how to effectively minister to cancer patients.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa offers "Our Journey of Hope," a free lay training program that will be a year old in February.

Cancer survivor Lyn Thompson said the treatment center includes a spiritual component as part of its program for cancer patients seeking treatment there. Several years ago, center leaders realized that other cancer patients needed similar support from their faith community, thus the training program was developed.

"We believe wholeheartedly that people with cancer need spiritual support," said Thompson, the center's coordinator of spiritual outreach programs.

"We're trying to equip people to minister to this group of people because cancer affects every part of your body, spiritually and physically."

Thompson said most people want to help someone battling cancer, but they might not know the best thing to say or do.

She said when she was awaiting the results of a test for breast cancer 19 years ago, many people told her that she would not get the disease. Thompson said when doctors told her she did have cancer, the same people did not seem to know what to say to her.

"Our Journey of Hope" is designed to help congregations better understand and meet the needs of the cancer patients in their congregations, she said.

Topics that are explored during the training sessions include the dos and don'ts of hospital home visits; what to say and what not to say to patients and their families; what cancer is and what it isn't; and prayer and the cancer patient.

Thompson said some people pray for cancer patients and focus on the disease, but "Our Journey of Hope" teaches people to focus on God when they are praying.

"We tell them to focus on God and who God is in that person's life," she said. "We say focus not on the disease but God, the One Who is in control."

The program also educates congregations about ways to combat cancer, particularly by keeping their bodies balanced with nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices.

For more information about the "Our Journey of Hope" lay ministry training program, call Lyn Thompson, spiritual outreach coordinator for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, at (918) 286-5235.

The Daily Oklahoman Jan. 18, 2006

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