Chemo Brain 101
In this week’s episode of the Cancer Education Series, the founder of Above + Beyond Cancer, Dr. Richard Deming discusses “Chemo Brain” with Brenda Helget, Executive Director of A Time to Heal Cancer Foundation. Brenda has worked within the nonprofit field for many years. She describes that one of her most notable positions was at Methodist Hospital Foundation in Omaha where she worked for 8 years and also where she discovered her passion for healthcare.
Methodist has its own Cancer Center and started the original program called “A Time to Heal,” finding funds and launching research for cancer survivorship, which eventually branched off to its own entity. Brenda also went through her own cancer journey, when she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and underwent chemo, radiation, and surgery which has greatly impacted her passion and empathy for her work.
A Time to Heal Foundation, where Brenda is the Executive Director, is a cancer support organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. They just launched a new program to address issues related to “chemo brain” also called brain fog, which is the cognitive dysfunction individuals undergo during cancer treatment. The image provided shows that the amount of brain activity needed to complete various different tasks increases with the presence of cancer. Symptoms of brain fog include mental cloudiness, disorganization, short attention span, reduced problem-solving skills, difficulty thinking/remembering as well as planning and completing tasks.
Nearly 3 of every 4 cancer patients experience brain fog. Various factors can induce brain fog, including cancer and cancer treatment, medical conditions and medications, COVID-19, nutritional imbalances, and more. These findings from A Time to Heal Foundation are also reflected through the work of Mayo Clinic, here.
The Brain Fog class offers several various coping mechanisms such as memory tools, brain exercises, and self & task management to deal with brain fog as well as supporting the survivors through general counseling and self-confidence building. Brenda describes a time when she had to retrace her usual path through the store to remember the 2 things she needed to buy. She mentions that repetition is essential for those with brain fog to help them consume new information, which is also addressed during their program.
Their class that addresses “chemo brain” is offered entirely virtual by health professionals, with potential in-person classes in the future. The program is 90 minutes per week, for 6 weeks, and it is completely free with supplemental literature provided. Since 2020, the organization has served survivors in 42 states and 5 countries and is looking forward to continued expansion. To find more information and available dates to participate in this class, visit their website.
For more, check out this conversation in detail on the Above + Beyond Cancer's Youtube channel. Additional resources can be found on A Time to Heal’s webpage.
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BA Ethics & Public Policy, BBA Management, minor Social Justice
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