Pacific Mesothelioma Support Group Provides Hope
The Pacific Mesothelioma Center recently introduced a new support group for patients. The group will strive to provide hope and assistance to mesothelioma warriors via a conference call once a month. The first telephone conference was held on May 9th.
This new service is a part of the Pacific Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute, a non-profit medical research facility in California. Their mission is to bring about hope through research, education, and support.
Patients Connect and Share Their Stories
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. Many patients may feel like they are alone in combatting their disease.
The new Pacific Mesothelioma Center support group creates an environment that allows patients to come together. Individuals are able to comfort and encourage each other by sharing their personal experiences throughout their medical journey.
Participants may talk openly about their treatment, side effects, and concerns. The group also gives individuals an opportunity to ask questions and to get answers.
Previously, the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute had a positive outcome with their caregiver’s group. In response to this success, the Pacific Mesothelioma Center created this new support group geared more towards patients.
Meet Mesothelioma Expert Lien Hua-Feng
Moderating the Pacific Mesothelioma Center support group is Lien Hua-Feng. She is a nurse practitioner at the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute.
Nurse Lien received her training in Ontario, Canada at the Queen’s University in Kingston. She obtained her Nurse Practitioner Certificate from the Western University of Health Sciences, located in Pomona, CA. Throughout her career, Lien has worked alongside mesothelioma specialist Dr. Robert Cameron.
Lien Hua-Feng also assists at the University of California Los Angeles and at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Due to asbestos once being used freely in the military, the majority of mesothelioma victims are veterans. Learn more about how veterans are affected in our free Veterans Support Guide.
Lien has experience in caring for a variety of mesothelioma patients, including those that have undergone surgery. Nurse Lien’s expertise in nursing, thoracic medicine, and research makes her a strong support system for all patients that participate in the Pacific Mesothelioma Center service.
Get Connected to Mesothelioma Support Groups
Helpful tools like support groups give patients and caregivers an opportunity to connect with others. They create an understanding atmosphere that allows individuals to express themselves, ask questions, and to share their experiences.
Support groups are more than just the typical face-to-face experience that many hospitals offer. Today, patients and their loved ones can get the same type of support by participating in online groups or by telephone.
For more information about high-volume facilities, specialists, and financial assistance, please contact Mesothelioma Guide’s patient advocate Karen Ritter. You can reach her by calling 888-385-2024 extension 102 or by emailing karen@mesotheliomaguide.com.
- LIEN HUA-FENG, NURSE PRACTITIONER. Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute. Retrieved from: http://www.phlbi.org/lien-hua-feng-nurse-practitioner/. Accessed: 05/12/2018.
- NURSE LIEN’S MESOTHELIOMA PATIENT CORNER. Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute. Retrieved from: http://www.phlbi.org/nurse-lien-mesothelioma-patient-corner/. Accessed: 05/12/2018.
- The Pacific Mesothelioma Center is Excited to Announce the Start of Its Patient Support Group!. EIN Newsdesk. Retrieved from: https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/443847301/the-pacific-mesothelioma-center-is-excited-to-announce-the-start-of-its-patient-support-group. Accessed: 05/12/2018.
- Cancer Statistics. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics. Accessed: 05/15/2018.
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