This website article offers an uplifting list of recommendations for staying positive and getting through the diagnosis of cancer. It includes recommendations for activities, discussions on setting boundaries, and saying no to toxic relationships. Included is a brief video (approx. 1:30) entitled "A Cancer Survivor's Husband on Just Being There."
Type of Material:
Reference Material
Recommended Uses:
General information provided here may serve as a useful supplemental reading for students in health and professional settings, particularly alongside viewing the included video. (The video features the spouse of a cancer patient and allows for perspective-taking between a patient and the patient's significant other).
Students can read this in advance of a section on cancer in health psychology or classes on treating such illnesses.
Assignments can include an examination of the behaviors that will benefit patients with cancer and how to provide support.
Technical Requirements:
Internet access
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Learners will explore:
many routes for patients (and their support group) to keep a positive attitude/outlook and decrease toxicity.
many recommendations for seeking support and gaining strength during a cancer diagnosis.
Target Student Population:
College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Professional
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
No prerequisite knowledge is needed.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
With brief explanations, and additional links throughout, the site focuses on positive people and positive energy, learning to reframe, and giving back.
The short video focuses on the importance of just being there, listening.
The site includes links to additional coping strategies, how to support someone with cancer, how to prepare for chemotherapy.
The web page includes resources as well as additional readings.
The recommendations provided are uplifting and informative. Several citations provided at the end of the article appear to originate from peer-reviewed journals.
Overall, the site includes practical information applicable to cancer diagnoses and other life-changing illnesses.
Concerns:
Arguably, the content is quite general and does not offer many new insights beyond general public knowledge.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This information is moderately informative and could be useful in some courses where a focus is on either cancer specifically, or perspectives of those diagnosed with a serious illness (as well as the perspectives of their loved ones).
The site presents a broad range of positive support mechanisms while also offering that it is "okay" (and maybe even necessary) to be angry, frustrated, and afraid.
The variety of positive methods suggests that anyone should be able to find effective methods that will work for them.
Concerns:
This material has limited applications and may be challenging for some to read due to the widespread diagnosis rates of cancer.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The website can be viewed with any browser.
The brief video can be watched online.
Information is written clearly, in accessible language.
The material is primarily textual, and where necessary, visual headings are adopted as dividers, making it easy to read and even skim through, where desired.
Concerns:
Because this article is hosted on a site that appears funded by ads, it may be distracting to some readers to see ads of varying styles and modalities appear as they scroll through the content. For example, some ads appear as static images, while others may flash or move on the screen. These types of ads may be problematic for some viewers due to sensitivity to movement that could induce seizures, headaches, and more.
Creative Commons:
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