Welcome to Bev's sCARE page, a place for stomach cancer and recovery experiences on the web. The purpose of this website is to provide a basic introduction to stomach cancer and to provide support for patients and survivors, and their families and loved ones.
My name is Bev, and I was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1997. In trying to learn more about my disease, I realized that information was either difficult to find or difficult to understand. It was even harder to find support groups because stomach cancer is so "rare" in the United States.
I thought that a website like this one would be a helpful resource to have available. With some interesting twists of fate (which you can read about here, Bev's sCARE page was born.
A brief introduction to each of the six main sections of sCARE follow, and the links to each can be found to the left of the page.
Message Board: Connecting With Others
The message board is a new feature for 2000! We hope you'll find it useful to connect with other people whose lives have been changed in some way or another because of stomach cancer.
Medical Information: Trying to Make Sense of It All
Medical information regarding stomach cancer including putative causes, diagnosis, statistics, and treatment in understandable terms may be found here. There are also some links to other websites about stomach cancer and cancer in general that may be helpful.
Tales & Journeys: Stories From Real Life
Here you will find a collection of stories from stomach cancer patients, survivors, and their families and loved ones that will inspire and give hope. A registry of patients and survivors is also available in this section.
Life Changes: As the Stomach Turns
Life changes in many ways when dealing with stomach cancer, for the patient and his/her family and loved ones. This section contains information on issues ranging from the practical (like eating without a tummy and pain management) to the emotional and spiritual (like facing mortality and surviving grief).
Smiles & Humor: When SC Knocks the Wind Out Of You
A gastrectomy, the surgical removal of the stomach, may be performed to treat stomach cancer. When that happens, what happens to the butterflies when you're nervous? Often laughter and a sense of humor can help lift your spirits when things get down. This link may help you through the tougher times of the healing process and the waiting game, and might just make you laugh till your stomach hurts and bring a smile to your face!
Children of All Ages: When Cancer Hits Home
This is a special section designed for kids and teens who have a parent, grandparent, or other loved one with stomach cancer, though children of all ages are welcome! Here you can share your stories and get in touch with other children in similar situations to help in your healing and coping. Please note that this is not a section for children with cancer, stomach or otherwise.
