UNMC is currently seeking 20 women who have new breast cancer diagnoses and live in rural areas to take part in an Internet support program.
The program, called CaringGuidance, includes six modules with over 20 sub-themes that address thoughts and worries while also providing support and coping strategies.
The purpose of the modules is to decrease the stress of the daily social and emotional challenges of a new cancer diagnosis.
The program was developed by Dr. Robin Lally, a professor at UNMC’s College of Nursing and a member at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
Lally gathered information for more than 15 years as she cared for women and talked to them about their thoughts and emotions throughout treatment.
"It’s like a talking book and women have said that this is like a support group in a box and that’s what really makes it ideal for the rural women is they don’t have to travel anywhere and they can have the support from women who are in the program sharing their experiences.”
The modules address questions like, “What does this diagnosis mean?,” “What are strategies to care for myself,” and “Moving forward for family and friends.”
The small three-month pilot study will give rural women the opportunity to use the program and provide feedback.
Eventually, researchers will take the information from this study and create a larger study in the future that will compare a group of women using the program to a group who don’t use it.
For more information, the number is 402-559-5464.