• Training & Education
• Support Group Facilitator
• Native American Support

Support Group Facilitator

Cancer survivors help themselves by helping others.

Most People Living Through Cancer and affiliated support groups in New Mexico are led by cancer survivors who volunteer their time, compassion and energy to facilitate communication and support for their peers. Facilitators normally pair with another survivor to lead the meetings. Details of time, date and place are arranged by the facilitators in collaboration with PLTC.

People Living Through Cancer offers two trainings per year for New Mexicans interested in developing cancer survivorship programs in their communities. New facilitator trainings are 2.5 days long and are held in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. Enrollment is limited to 12 persons per training. All participant costs are supported by a grant from the New Mexico Department of Health. The only requirement is that trained facilitators do support work in their home community.

New Mexicans attending past trainings have come from throughout the state, and represent all cultural and ethnic groups. They are cancer survivors, family members of someone diagnosed with cancer, community health representatives, and other health care professionals. All are committed volunteers working to develop cancer support programs in their own communities. If you are a New Mexican interested in raising awareness of cancer survivorship in our state by participating in a support network, we invite you to participate. The curriculum for the support group facilitator training includes:

Session I - What is Support?

The opening session provides an opportunity to get acquainted, information about People Living Through Cancer, the New Mexico Department of Health’s Cancer Plan, and the Survivorship Movement. Participants will also have the opportunity to practice, and experience the power of active listening.

Session II - Providing Support During a Cancer Experience

This session focuses on the psychosocial and emotional consequences of a cancer diagnosis. It includes additional segments on: examining our beliefs about cancer, advocacy for cancer survivors, death and dying, the grieving process, quality of life issues, resources, and the role of support volunteers.

Session III - Support Groups - Together We Are Stronger

This session provides general information on support groups and why people want or need them. Organizational information is given to help volunteers: set up, promote and maintain support systems, deal with problems within the support groups, and general facilitation techniques.