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Huang Cuiping spends two days a week at the Shanghai East Hospital. Despite the time she commits to the hospital, she is neither a patient nor a medical worker. Rather, Huang is a volunteer who has devoted herself to looking after cancer patients.
Huang, 58 years old, is a cancer survivor herself. When she was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1995, she was almost crushed by the bad news. Her family, doctors and nurses comforted her, took care of her and gave her hope. After a successful operation, she gradually regained her health. Having gone through the experience of protracted cancer treatment, she decided to work as a volunteer in order to support other cancer patients. She is particularly keen on providing psychologi- cal support to patients who often suffer from depression following their diagnosis.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in urban China and the second most common cause of death in the country’s rural areas. It caused 25 percent of all deaths in cities and 21 percent in the countryside, according to the third and latest National Sample Survey of Cause of Death released by the Ministry of Health in April 2008.
While advances have been made in cancer treatment in recent years, with survival rates improving significantly, many people still tend to consider it a death sentence. Hence, it often causes fear and depression. These negative feelings further weaken patients’ bodies and reduce their quality of life.
Researchers with the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted studies on breast cancer patients and found that psychological stimuli can boost patients’ mood and immune system.
As part of its efforts to improve the psychological well-being of its patients, the Shanghai East Hospital began to recruit volunteers like Huang in 2001, because volunteers often prove better at assuaging patients’ fears than medical workers. Huang is among the first people to participate in the program.
“After becoming a volunteer, I met many cancer sufferers, who have become my friends as we have been through the same things,” Huang said.
A sad goodbye
As a cancer volunteer, sometimes Huang has to face the loss of her fellow cancer sufferers. She still could not hold back her tears when talking about a woman surnamed Yu, who passed away not long ago.
Yu was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Huang first met Yu when the latter came to the Shanghai East Hospital for chemotherapy. Yu was in a very low spirit at that time, and often talked about death.
“I went to the hospital to visit her two to three times a week, chatting with her and sharing my own experience with her. I told her that she should actively receive treatment and bravely confront the disease,” Huang said.
As time went, Huang and Yu became good friends. Without any family member living with her, Yu was lonely and helpless. Huang often accompanied Yu to take walk in park, and did other exercises with her.
But unfortunately, Yu passed away regardless. Huang accompanied her through the last leg of life and bid her farewell at a funeral arranged by volunteers.
“It’s my great pleasure to help other cancer patients lead a decent life,” Huang said.
In the same boat
Lu Jishan, 64, is another cancer patient whose life course has changed largely due to Huang’s efforts.
When Lu was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2008, he was about to retire. “The diagnosis smashed all my hopes about life,”Lu recalled, “I felt awful, scared and at loss.”
When Lu was in despair, Huang and another volunteer came to help him. “In the beginning, I did not want to listen to them. I felt that my disease was incurable and that they couldn’t do anything about it,” Lu said.
But when Lu learned that the volunteers were cancer survivors, his attitude changed.“They are so healthy, so in them I see my future,” Lu said.
Encouraged by the volunteers, Lu received chemotherapy. As he recuperated, he himself became a volunteer with the Shanghai East Hospital.
“Now, volunteering has become part of my life. I fight cancer myself while helping others to do so. Helping others, especially those with similar experiences makes my life very meaningful,” Lu said.
In the decade or so since the Shanghai East Hospital launched its volunteer program, its volunteer team has expanded rapidly. Now more than 1,800 people volunteer with the hospital, who not only include former cancer patients, but also students and professionals. Some volunteers are from foreign countries such as the United States and Switzerland.
Volunteers also regularly receive training delivered by the Shanghai Hand-inHand Life Care Development Center, a non-profit organization that began as a voluntary psychological counseling group in 2008.
The center periodically organizes psychologists, doctors, nurses and social workers to provide care and counseling to cancer patients and their families. It also runs a helpline, and provides telephone counseling.
Huang, 58 years old, is a cancer survivor herself. When she was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1995, she was almost crushed by the bad news. Her family, doctors and nurses comforted her, took care of her and gave her hope. After a successful operation, she gradually regained her health. Having gone through the experience of protracted cancer treatment, she decided to work as a volunteer in order to support other cancer patients. She is particularly keen on providing psychologi- cal support to patients who often suffer from depression following their diagnosis.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in urban China and the second most common cause of death in the country’s rural areas. It caused 25 percent of all deaths in cities and 21 percent in the countryside, according to the third and latest National Sample Survey of Cause of Death released by the Ministry of Health in April 2008.
While advances have been made in cancer treatment in recent years, with survival rates improving significantly, many people still tend to consider it a death sentence. Hence, it often causes fear and depression. These negative feelings further weaken patients’ bodies and reduce their quality of life.
Researchers with the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted studies on breast cancer patients and found that psychological stimuli can boost patients’ mood and immune system.
As part of its efforts to improve the psychological well-being of its patients, the Shanghai East Hospital began to recruit volunteers like Huang in 2001, because volunteers often prove better at assuaging patients’ fears than medical workers. Huang is among the first people to participate in the program.
“After becoming a volunteer, I met many cancer sufferers, who have become my friends as we have been through the same things,” Huang said.
A sad goodbye
As a cancer volunteer, sometimes Huang has to face the loss of her fellow cancer sufferers. She still could not hold back her tears when talking about a woman surnamed Yu, who passed away not long ago.
Yu was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Huang first met Yu when the latter came to the Shanghai East Hospital for chemotherapy. Yu was in a very low spirit at that time, and often talked about death.
“I went to the hospital to visit her two to three times a week, chatting with her and sharing my own experience with her. I told her that she should actively receive treatment and bravely confront the disease,” Huang said.
As time went, Huang and Yu became good friends. Without any family member living with her, Yu was lonely and helpless. Huang often accompanied Yu to take walk in park, and did other exercises with her.
But unfortunately, Yu passed away regardless. Huang accompanied her through the last leg of life and bid her farewell at a funeral arranged by volunteers.
“It’s my great pleasure to help other cancer patients lead a decent life,” Huang said.
In the same boat
Lu Jishan, 64, is another cancer patient whose life course has changed largely due to Huang’s efforts.
When Lu was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2008, he was about to retire. “The diagnosis smashed all my hopes about life,”Lu recalled, “I felt awful, scared and at loss.”
When Lu was in despair, Huang and another volunteer came to help him. “In the beginning, I did not want to listen to them. I felt that my disease was incurable and that they couldn’t do anything about it,” Lu said.
But when Lu learned that the volunteers were cancer survivors, his attitude changed.“They are so healthy, so in them I see my future,” Lu said.
Encouraged by the volunteers, Lu received chemotherapy. As he recuperated, he himself became a volunteer with the Shanghai East Hospital.
“Now, volunteering has become part of my life. I fight cancer myself while helping others to do so. Helping others, especially those with similar experiences makes my life very meaningful,” Lu said.
In the decade or so since the Shanghai East Hospital launched its volunteer program, its volunteer team has expanded rapidly. Now more than 1,800 people volunteer with the hospital, who not only include former cancer patients, but also students and professionals. Some volunteers are from foreign countries such as the United States and Switzerland.
Volunteers also regularly receive training delivered by the Shanghai Hand-inHand Life Care Development Center, a non-profit organization that began as a voluntary psychological counseling group in 2008.
The center periodically organizes psychologists, doctors, nurses and social workers to provide care and counseling to cancer patients and their families. It also runs a helpline, and provides telephone counseling.