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It’s been a hot first couple of days in southern California, and I’m not just talking about the weather! The Amgen Tour of California kicked off Sunday in Escondido, a city just north of San Diego. Professional cyclist Lieuwe Westra of Team Vacansoleil-DCM took first place at Stage 1, on a complex 102.6 mile course on a day where temperatures hit 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Stage 2 ended atop picturesque Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, at a challenging altitude of 9,790 feet. Janier Acevedo of Team Jamis-Hagens Berman took first place on that round today.

Breakaway from Cancer is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer—from prevention through survivorship. Founded in 2005, it is a partnership between Amgen and four cancer-related nonprofits: Cancer Support

A diagnosis of cancer can be devastating and a journey that is unclear to those moving through it. Yet patients who have faced cancer are more than willing to share information about their experience perhaps with the hope that their learning can make it easier for people who are newly diagnosed. Today, the Research and Training Institute of the Cancer Support Community launched a first-of-its-kind Cancer Experience Registry which aims to understand the many facets of the cancer experience through the eyes of those who have experienced it first-hand.

Anyone touched by cancer can join the registry to share their experience, compare their responses to others who have joined and explore resources available to them.

Learning that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer may cause you to feel many emotions. Fortunately there are many resources available to help people understand the diagnosis, learn about treatment options and side effect management and connect with others. Most importantly, you are not alone in facing lung cancer.

Hearing the words “you have cancer” is a life changing event that for many people causes stress, fear and loneliness. Although life will almost certainly change dramatically, for many people this can bring some positive changes. A diagnosis of cancer can be a chance to try to understand the greater purpose or reason behind your life. This search for meaning can often lead to a greater understanding of yourself and others and clarify for you what really matters. People report feeling a greater sense of inner peace and satisfaction with life. While no one is happy to receive a diagnosis of cancer, many people have used the experience to identify things in their lives that they would like to change. Finding meaning and purpose is not a constant search and for each person the process will be different. Many people find that that their perspective and what is meaningful will change over time depending on their unique situation.

“How can I start a support group?” is a question I am often asked. For people diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones, there is increasing evidence that support groups can be beneficial in improving not only the day-to-day quality of life but also on your chances of survival. For some it is relatively easy to find a local group, and there are also telephone and online support groups available. However, for those of you unable to locate a group that fits your needs, here are some suggestions on how to start a support group—but look before you leap!

CSC welcomes Robyn Stoller, founder of CancerHawk and tireless patient advocate as a guest blogger. We’re thrilled to be working with her and look forward to additional informative and insightful posts in the coming months.