After a break during the summer months, the cancer support group at Conestoga Mennonite Church will resume meeting on Thursday, Sept. 15. Meetings, which are held at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month, offer support, encouragement and education to those who are currently dealing with cancer or those who have dealt with cancer in the past.

"We accept anyone no matter what form of cancer diagnosis they received," said Cheryl Heineman, a three-time cancer survivor who leads the group.

Each meeting features an educational program or a guest speaker. "We start out with a welcome, and if we have a guest speaker, I introduce them and they present for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the topic," Cheryl explained. "If we don't have a speaker, I have a curriculum that I follow. It's educational, but it is not medical advice. It might be something like what organizations (have to offer) or how (people) are feeling about different things. One of the topics is dealing with cancer during the holidays. That can be a real challenge."

After a break, the group comes back together for refreshments and a time of sharing. "We share what is going on in our lives. It's often medical," said Cheryl.

She explained that for people who have had a cancer diagnosis, they have to return for medical tests to make sure the cancer has not returned or spread. Waiting for the test results can be very stressful. "We call these feelings 'scanxiety.' We talk about how we process through that," Heineman said.

The group members also talk about life events. "We often talk about the good things that have happened in our lives - grandchildren, graduations or births," Cheryl shared. "We share our lives with one another."

Cheryl noted that she also gives the group members "homework" to work on during the next month. "(I tell people to) take time for themselves. Sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves," she said. "Other times (I suggest that) they tell their caregiver how much they mean to them or buy them an (inexpensive) gift."

Every third month, the group enjoys dinner at the church and an informal session. "There is no guest speaker, and we share a meal," Cheryl explained. "It's sort of like a covered dish (potluck) or sometimes we order (food)."

The meetings, which generally last until 8:30 p.m., end in prayer.

Cheryl started the support group in the midst of the pandemic in July of 2020. Her husband, the Rev. David Heineman, who is a board-certified hospice chaplain, offers support and expertise for the group.

Conestoga Mennonite Church is located at 2779 Main St. (Route 23), Morgantown. For more information, contact Cheryl at 610-762-0002 or csgcmc@ptd.net.