The Power of a Supportive Community

September 16, 2026

Support groups have always been an important part of my life. I’m a big believer in them. As an extrovert, being around others energizes me and I enjoy hearing people’s stories. And I relish the give-and-take dynamic support groups provide. Sometimes you’re receiving support, and sometimes you’re giving back. This rhythm has long shaped my life.

It started in the early ’90s, with a women’s group I was in. Nearly 35 years later, some of those women are still my dearest friends. This was my first glimpse at how support groups could help me through each stage of life, and help me feel better about what I was going through – less alone, less scared, more educated, and more connected.

The second impactful support group I was part of was the Deaf Moms. I joined because I wanted to figure out the best way to raise and support our deaf son and hearing daughter. It didn’t just serve the parents; it brought our children together. It was a pivotal group in my life.

I consider the wonderful women in my Quilting Guild as another support group of sorts. I joined it when I retired, and it’s become such a big part of my life. I couldn’t have gotten through cancer without my Quilting Guild. One of the quilters, Maureen, would drop off warm buns every Saturday. Another, Janice, brought over pies for my biggest supporter, my husband, when I was going through treatment. So many quilters fed us dozens of meals and became a lifeline during my breast cancer journey. And many of them have been through cancer themselves, so they understood, and many were retired nurses. But they didn’t just feed me physically, they fed me mentally too.

When I found out I had cancer, my first instinct was to look for a support group. I was delighted to discover the Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop, which has been incredibly supportive. It provided some much-needed fun and encouragement while I was going through treatment. Most of my outings during treatment were to doctors’ appointments that left me feeling scared and anxious. How refreshing it was to have a positive, uplifting experience with LGFB. I enjoyed myself, I learned new skills, including eyebrow techniques and concealer application, and I left feeling more like myself again, instead of like Kim who has cancer. Even better, I made a new friend through the workshop.

I’ve recommended LGFB to so many people. It really was a joyful day. There was something really nice about doing a cancer-related activity with other women going through similar experiences that wasn’t scary. We weren’t doing chemo together. We were doing something uplifting, and something that was special, just for cancer patients.

Being in a group and a member of a community is an important part of our humanity. Getting support and also giving support – pulling someone else up after you’ve gone through the process yourself – are so rewarding. Whatever you give, you get back tenfold.

I know that finding a support group can seem daunting, especially if you have cancer and don’t want to see people – it’s not exactly a social time. But I strongly encourage everyone to get out of your comfort zone and to seek community. It’s okay if you’re not an extrovert like me. You don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to, at an LGFB workshop. You can just go and listen. What you could gain by attending could be absolutely enormous. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Life is better when you have a community. Together, we can get through the hard times, celebrate the good times, and share what we’ve learned along the way.