Cuyuna Regional Medical Center Social Worker Betsy Liedl will speak about how palliative care can improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center’s Virtual Cancer Support Group on Thursday, May 20, from 12 to 1 p.m.

Liedl will share how suffering can be prevented and relieved through early identification and assessment and treatment of pain and other problems including physical, psychosocial, and spiritual. She will explain how CRMC’s program includes a broad multidisciplinary approach that includes the family and community resources. The social worker will also talk about how palliative care can be used in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Cancer Care Navigator Dustine Parks, Social Worker Elizabeth Liedl and Registered Nurse Lisa Slepica will also facilitate discussion. People who are newly diagnosed with cancer, undergoing treatment or post treatment and their significant others are invited. The group is an opportunity to share experiences and support one another, to listen and learn.

Virtual Cancer Support Group meetings are held the third Thursday of each month with a new topic each month. Registration for the support group is not required and there is no cost to attend. Send a message requesting a meeting link to dustine.parks@cuyunamed.org. Call 218-546-4319 or 218-546-4302 for more information. 

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