Cancer Concern Association treats oncology unit to self-care retreat |30 November 2023
On Saturday, November 25, the Cancer Concern Association treated the Ministry of Health’s oncology team to a self-care retreat at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa.
This was to mark caregivers’ month on the cancer calendar.
The 18 participants comprised doctors, nurses, nurse assistants, ward pharmacists.
The day started with a self-care session followed by massages at the spa, lunch, relaxation time by the pool and a cocktail with live entertainment by popular singer, Emmanuel Marie.
Margaret Moumou, a life coach workshop facilitator of Enia Event, shared that the session was meant to celebrate caregivers.
“The people in the profession of care give everything, including their heart, body, mind and soul, to those they are caring for. But this is not truly recognised. So when I was approached by Cancer Concern Association, I thought it would be a good time to celebrate them.”
The retreat started with the caregivers sharing their views on their roles, and how they were viewed by others. They saw the profession as a gift and a decision taken from the heart.
“There is passion in what they do, but sometimes life gets in the way and many things would impact their role as caregivers. So we talked a little bit about stress and the challenges within the workplace and their home,” shared Mrs Moumou.
The oncology team also spoke about the impact of their work on their health and personal relationship, as well as the benefits, especially when the patients they are caring for recover.
“We observed that stress and a lack of alignment in both the workplace and home settings can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue, negatively impacting the quality of care provided by caregivers. Our discussion was around various sources of stress in their workplace that hinder their ability to offer compassionate care”, noted Mrs Moumou.
In response, the group generated several ideas and proposed actions to address these stressful situations. They seized the opportunity to talk about self-care and its significance in maintaining overall well-being – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Recognising the analogy that one cannot pour from an empty vessel, they noted the importance of caregivers prioritising their own well-being to better serve others.
For physical care, they explored practices such as getting adequate sleep, regular exercise, and maintaining a balanced diet. For emotional care, they discussed fostering gratitude, acquiring emotional regulation skills, and practicing assertive communication. Additionally, they went into the concepts of forgiveness, letting go, and cultivating compassion for oneself and others.
They also addressed the spiritual self-care, where they highlighted the importance of connecting with a higher power, embracing self-empathy, and granting oneself grace. Encouraging moments of quiet reflection, they suggested that these practices would help caregivers feel renewed and better equipped to provide care.
“I think it was a beautiful session. More time would have been best. I am happy with the way people opened up and talked about issues, things that were bothering them. And I thank Cancer Concern for organising the session,” shared the life coach.
Dinaz van der Lans, chairperson of the CCA, commented that the treat was well appreciated by all and CCA thanks all caregivers in the country who work with passion, patience and care for the needy.
The participants were also grateful and noted “we often work in silos and this gave us an opportunity to be together, know each other better, and see the importance of strengthening team work and understanding each other’s role. The session made us reflect on each other’s experiences and evaluate our own and how we can be better. It takes one person to say thank you to make you feel reenergised and appreciated. We look forward to more sessions next year. CCA has been a good partner to us for years.”
The accompanying photos show some highlights of the retreat.
Photos: Contributed
