Rebecca Lennox has found a new home at Circles Wellness for a monthly cancer support group, which she started last winter.
The Courtenay councillor — who was 32 when diagnosed with colorectal cancer a couple of years ago — had intended the group to serve young adults living with cancer. But numbers have been sufficient to form an over-45 and under-45 group. She has also broadened the scope to include other chronic illnesses.
“Whether you have cancer, or whether you have MS, means your life is pretty different than your peers,” said Lennox, whose peer support group is restricted to patients.
“There’s an element to being a patient where you end up not necessarily telling people what’s truly going on. I think by having only the patient allows people to be more candid.”
She notes a lot of discussion has focussed on medicinal cannabis.
“Probably 80 per cent of patients I’ve met are using cannabis, but there’s no supports here because we don’t have any dispensaries,” Lennox said.
But that situation could soon change this summer if the federal government legalizes marijuana.
The Circles Wellness Centre is at 949 Fitzgerald Ave. in Courtenay. The 45-and-older group meets on the last Friday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The under-45s meet on the last Sunday of the month from 1-3 p.m.
FMI: contact Lennox at Rebeccajlennox@gmail.com or (250) 650-5582.
