When faced with a life-changing health issue, whether cancer, diabetes or heart disease, it’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed by circumstances. Often, the experiences of those who have survived the calamity and emerged on the other side are most beneficial in helping the newly diagnosed maintain perspective and balance as they navigate the choppy waters of life.
To that end, Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma offers Survivors!, a support group for anyone dealing with a life-changing diagnosis, as well as their family and friends. The group meets the second Sunday of each month from 4-5:30 p.m. in the church parlor.
Survivors! is the result of restructuring a cancer support group that began at Asbury in 1989. “Over the years, we’ve had well over 300 people attend the cancer support group,” said Rod Giles, Survivors! facilitator and personal survivor of a heart attack, open heart surgery and prostate cancer. “Some years we’ve had as many as 40 regular members,” he continued, “but, in recent years, numbers had declined greatly. So, we decided to restructure and expand the group to include people with other life-changing health issues.”
“Serious health issues often have a significant impact on individuals, their families and their relationship with God,” he explained. “And while a support group can’t take the pain away, we can reframe it to enable people to grow spiritually and continue to have a positive influence on those around them. We work to help people gain God’s eternal perspective through the storms of life. And we try to bring God’s hope to those who feel hopeless.”
Meetings begin with a “Me Minute” to get acquainted or reacquainted with each other, followed by a time dedicated to gaining spiritual insight and perspective. Currently, Survivors! is using a series of DVDs by Ken Curtis, ordained minister, president of Vision Video and a man who battled cancer for eight years, as their spiritual curriculum. The DVDs cover various passages of familiar Scripture, including Psalm 23, the Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes, with questions and discussion for spiritual growth and application. These are specifically tailored for those undergoing a health crisis.
Rod’s wife, Charlene Giles, director of Care Ministries at Asbury, learned of the Ken Curtis’ Reflection series DVDs through a meeting with Lyn Thompson, spiritual outreach coordinator at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Charlene called Lyn to see if she had some suggestions for how to revive and build up the original cancer ministry, and the DVDs were one of the suggestions offered. Another was to attend an event held at CTCA last year and open to all churches, called Building an Effective Cancer Ministry.
“Charlene attended the day-long workshop at CTCA,” Rod said. “Ken Curtis was one of the speakers there, and she was impressed by what he shared as well as by the other wonderful testimonies she heard and information she gained. They were great reminders that when folks are going through medical crises, especially ongoing ones, a little support can go a long way.”
After the DVD and discussion, time is set aside to laugh and share jokes, as well as pass around the “Joy Box.” The box contains funny movies, crayons, puzzles, etc. Each person can add to or take something out of the box each month. The meeting ends with group prayer.
Asbury provides each member of Survivors! a copy of the DVD being used in class. The church also offers Stephen Ministers to anyone going through a tough time. These highly trained volunteer ministers listen to, pray with and walk with people through their crises to provide additional support.
“People who have attended our group comment on the feeling of love and connection they receive there. They also love knowing they’re prayed for during the group and also between meetings by the other members. Everyone has a story to tell, and this is a place to tell it,” Rod commented.
Cancer survivor Hal Johnston has been a member of Asbury’s cancer support group for 16 years. He shared, “Cancer can certainly cause depression in one’s life, and one thing I’ve gained from the meetings is the ability to maintain a sense of humor through it. The meetings have also provided me the opportunity to help answer questions and relieve the fears of those who come by telling how I was affected and offering suggestions from my experience. I’ve been blessed knowing I may have helped someone in coping with their illness.”
For more information on Survivors!, please call Rod Giles at 918-740-4393.