Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center Announces 2017 Support Groups

WARE — Facing a major illness or stressful life change can be a daunting prospect. Although support and self-help groups can vary greatly, all groups share one thing in common: they are places where people can share personal stories, express emotions, and be heard in an atmosphere of acceptance, understanding, and encouragement. Facilitators and participants share information and resources, and people in a support group strengthen and empower others as well as themselves.

Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center has announced its 2017 support-group listings:

• Alcoholics Anonymous: Main Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Sundays, 7-8:15 p.m.

• Breast Cancer Support Group: fourth Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Open to all women with breast cancer, regardless of stage of treatment. Call Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker, at (413) 967-2245.

• Circle of Angels, a quilting support group for people who have been touched by cancer: twice monthly on Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker, at (413) 967-2245.

• Expressive Writing Through Cancer: third Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Open to all cancer diagnoses. Call Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker, at (413) 967-2245.

• General Cancer Support Group: first Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Open to all cancer diagnoses. Call Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker, at (413) 967-2245.

• Partners in Caregiving, a support group for caregivers of people with cancer: second Tuesday of every month, 5-6:30 p.m. Call Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker, at (413) 967-2245.

• Look Good Feel Better: held every three months for women who are undergoing cancer treatment currently or within the last 12 months. The program focuses on skin- and nail-care tips, scarf and wig tips, and makeup tips during the challenges associated with cancer treatments. Call Camille St. Onge, oncology social worker, at (413) 967-2245.