- With Mayo Clinic nurse educator
Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
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Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
Sheryl M. Ness
Sheryl Ness, R.N., O.C.N., is a nurse educator for the Cancer Education Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She helps inform patients, families and caregivers about services and resources to help them through the cancer journey.
She has a master's degree in nursing from Augsburg College. In addition, she is an assistant professor of oncology at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and is certified as a specialist in oncology nursing. Sheryl has worked for more than 20 years at Mayo Clinic as an educator. She has a keen interest in the importance of the quality of life and concerns of people living with cancer.
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Living with cancer blog
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March 23, 2013
The power of friends
By Sheryl M. Ness, R.N.
Think back to the last time you spent time with a good friend or a group of friends. What are some of the feelings you experienced? Acceptance, love, joy, comfort, security and happiness are some of the feelings I hope you experience when you are with friends.
As friends, we share good times and bad together — that's the whole idea. Having someone you trust to talk with, to share your laughter and tears, and just be there for you, is what a friend may offer. Friendships may also have a positive effect on your health and wellbeing.
Having friends can:
- Provide a boost of happiness and joy
- Increase your sense of purpose and belonging
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve your feelings of strength and self-esteem
- Help you cope with trauma and loss
- Decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation
- Encourage healthy habits, such as exercise, laughter, eating well
Research has shown that having friends around may help you deal with pain, stress and illness in a positive manner. While family connections are also vital, the connections we have with friends are different than the relationships we have with family. Maybe it's because we are able to share more of our fears and deepest feelings with friends — while we tend to guard these feelings with our family members. Having a close confidant that you can trust can be so important.
With this in mind, nurture your friendships. Keep in close contact with those friends who support you in the best way possible. Don't worry if you've lost touch for a while — many times old friends will understand and support you even if a few months or years have passed. Investing in new friends and strengthening friendships may help you deal with stress and illness, and bring you better quality of life and a more positive outlook in return.
I'd love to hear about how friends have helped you along the way. Post a few words about how friendships have supported you through the years.
Follow me on Twitter @SherylNess1. Join the discussion at #livingwithcancer.
5 comments posted
April 3, 2013 12:41 a.m.
My best friend of more than 12 years has assisted me with several issues in my life and I am indebted to her forever.She helped me learn to trust again after I endured many years of molestation from four family members.She has been a close confidant and God truly blessed me through the many years of shared e-mail,facebook and words of encouragements. I love my best friend Liz N she is a gem.
- Mary
April 2, 2013 11:09 a.m.
Patty, my best friend of 17 years passed away 11/15/12 unexpectedly after diagnosed w/ a recurrence of breast cancer. Our Ford Soccer friends who formed the first women's outdoor team called the Jaguars all ralleyed around Patty and her husband during this long journey. They helped clean their house, watch the 6 year old twins, do laundry, cook, take her to the hospital for treatments, etc. They helped relieve stress for Patty by helping keep the house clean. I never realized how much she valued this till she was in the hospital, and she asked that we clean the house vs come visit her. We had 5 of us over cleaning, and at other times, people stopped by with food, etc. The company and friendships we have are increadible, and our friends are there for her husband & I thru her funeral, etc. It shows you how tight a team we are even after 17 years! AMAZING friendships & lots of love, affection, and caring! It makes my day! Thank you for posting about Lots'a Helping Hands on your Mayo site as well as about Dragon Boating. I've applied both, and am starting the first Breast Cancer Survivors & Supporters Team in MI!
- Csilla
March 29, 2013 4:21 a.m.
There are situations in life where friends or even human company is not available.In such cases,we can learn to do with substitutes.Imagination-imagining the presence of friends,is a healthy substitute if the real people are absent.
- sanjit
March 25, 2013 8:53 p.m.
Hi guys! Will you all follow me on twitter and like me on facebook? I tweet and post facts and figures about prevention and positive things. Just raising awareness! I have a nonprofit organization that I just started in honor of my mother who passed away due to breast cancer. I also lost my leg at age nine to bone cancer, as well as my grandfather to lung and brain cancer. So I guess you can say that I know a lot about the disease :). Back to my main point, I would really appreciate it if you guys could just click the links and hit like and follow. It saves lives. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anns-Army/1552
71057968113 https://twitter.com/AnnsArmy - Aisling
March 25, 2013 8:29 p.m.
Hi guys! Will you all follow me on twitter and like me on facebook? I tweet and post facts and figures about prevention and positive things. Just raising awareness! I have a nonprofit organization that I just started in honor of my mother who passed away due to breast cancer. I also lost my leg at age nine to bone cancer, as well as my grandfather to lung and brain cancer. So I guess you can say that I know a lot about the disease :). Back to my main point, I would really appreciate it if you guys could just click the links and hit like and follow. It saves lives. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anns-Army/1552
71057968113 https://twitter.com/AnnsArmy - Aisling
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5 comments posted