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We have all heard inspirational stories about people who have faced a cancer diagnosis with courage. Perhaps you have had the privilege of cheering on a cancer survivor taking a victory lap in the Relay For Life or witnessed the camaraderie of a dragon boat team as they cross the finish line together. You may have wondered how so many people with cancer cope with this experience.

A big part of the equation can be summed up in one word: support. Many will tell you that fighting this disease takes a team effort, a team that includes family and friends.

Support comes in many shapes and forms and from many different sources to help those with cancer, their families and their friends adjust to living with this disease. Support is what helps people move through the shock and fear to a place where they can accept that life has changed and make decisions about how best to move into the future.

"I don't think you ever get over the issues surrounding cancer, but by meeting other survivors and learning how to cope, you do start to feel that you are not so alone," says Ann Mantini, co-founder and chair of Wellspring Niagara, "These programs can help with so many different things, including stress and relief from fear and feelings of isolation."

Being a person living with cancer makes you look at life differently, say those who attend support groups. Graduates of The Healing Journey Program, for instance, say that the program has left them feeling more grateful for life's blessings, more in touch with their needs and how to meet them, and less inclined to make self-sacrificing compromises.

Learning how to celebrate life, trying new things and reaching out to others are some of the tools in the cancer survivor's 'kit'.

In Canada, there is a range of programs to support people living with cancer, their families and friends, depending on their needs. For more information about what's available in your province, check with your local Canadian Cancer Society office, call toll-free 1 888-939-3333 or ask your provincial cancer care agency.

Dr. Alastair Cunningham, director of The Healing Journey Program, knows first-hand the emotional turmoil that cancer patients experience. A cancer survivor himself, Dr. Cunningham has helped thousands learn self-healing techniques over the past 20 years.

Now, he and a small group of therapists and others, operating their three-level program out of the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, are making the program accessible to many more cancer survivors, over the Internet. "Belonging to a group of like-minded people, even if it has to be via the Internet, can be immensely helpful," says Dr. Cunningham.

• Level 1 of The Healing Journey, teaches ways to cope with the stress of cancer diagnosis and care
• Level 2 teaches healing skills such as mental imaging, relaxation, goal setting and journaling
• Level 3 focuses on spiritual healing through forgiveness and self-acceptance.

An innovative telephone peer-support program, CancerConnection connects people living with cancer to specially trained volunteers from across the country who have had similar experiences. "Many Canadians experience a cancer diagnosis each year and our team is there to help support them with hope and compassion and information," says Heather Sinardo, National Coordinator of CancerConnection for the Canadian Cancer Society. Not only do volunteers have an understanding and firsthand experience about the disease, they are also positive role models and excellent listeners, points out Sinardo. "Talking with someone who has dealt with similar issues makes someone living with a cancer diagnosis feel more hopeful, less anxious and better able to cope. People who have used the service say they find it very supportive, informative, encouraging and helpful."

For more information about CancerConnection and the Society's other support programs call the Cancer Information Service at 1 -888-939-3333 or visit the web site at www.cancer.ca.

Wellspring is a network of community-based regional centres that provide information plus emotional and social support to cancer patients, their families and close supporters. Founded 12 years ago in Toronto, there are currently five Wellspring centres in Ontario and new centres are being developed in Calgary and Halifax. "The diagnosis of cancer puts people in a very difficult situation," says Ann Mantini. By providing support in a friendly, home-like environment, people living with cancer meet other survivors, and express themselves freely in a non-judgemental and confidential way. All programs are professionally-facilitated to offer support and practical suggestions in many different areas, including:

• stress and symptom management,
• education and communication,
• and community

A cross-Canada fundraising event has become one of the world's biggest support networks. Relay For Life is an annual 12-hour celebration of survival and a tribute to the lives of loved ones who have been touched by cancer. "Support is so crucial to every survivor so they know they are not alone," notes Lee Angus, manager of Relay For Life. The Survivors' Victory Lap, which kicks off the 12-hour event, is particularly poignant for all involved. One recent participant from Belleville, Ont., described the experience this way: "Walking the victory lap arm- in-arm with 250 compatriots was marvelous. But when 1,000 people stood on the infield clapping and shouting encouragement to us as we made our way around the track, it was cathartic!" This year, the event is expected to raise approximately $30 million for the Canadian Cancer Society which offers support for those living with cancer and their families.

University of British Columbia sports medicine physician Don McKenzie realized the importance of active support in cancer care almost a decade ago. Thanks largely to his efforts, dragon boating for breast cancer survivors began in Vancouver in 1996. Today there are some 40 breast cancer survivor dragon boat teams across Canada.

For Jacquie Bateman, 46, participating on a Dragons Abreast dragon boat team "was like a huge group hug with women who gave you strength, inspiration and motivation." Those women didn't cut Bateman any slack for what she'd been through with her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, either. But that was just fine. "The more paddling I did, the more my body responded and the better I felt," says Bateman. "The stronger you get, the better you can battle whatever gets thrown in your face."

"The camaraderie is very empowering and for many women, it's a way to take back control. I certainly did," says Frances Halperin, 62, breast cancer survivor and media relations coordinator for Dragons Abreast in Toronto. Bunny Rosse, 72, a survivor of breast and thyroid cancer, has been with on a Vancouver dragon boat team for nine years. She found the exercise and positive attitude of teammates helped her regain a sense of humour. "It was laughter that was missing," says Rosse.

In his article How Psychological Therapy May Prolong Survival in Cancer Patients, Dr. Cunningham, who is also a professor at the University of Toronto, has recorded testimonies of people who have outlived their predicted survival time, sometimes by more than a decade. One 55-year-old woman with breast cancer, who has lived 14 years longer than predicted, describes her state of mind this way: "I feel more comfortable with my place in the world than I did before I was diagnosed, definitely. I'm learning to accept myself for who I am and choose what path I want. It doesn't matter about anybody else; it's what I'm doing."

Whether you're a cancer survivor or a family member or friend of someone with cancer, remember that you are not alone. There are many different resources available to those living with cancer, all across Canada. In most communities, you can connect to a group that will help you meet life's challenges, one day at a time.