Dear Friends:
Every congregation has people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Cancer creates a crisis for the person with cancer and for his entire family. The diagnosis is frightening. The treatment is difficult. The after shocks are long lasting. Families facing cancer often look for a place where they can find the support and understanding they need to cope with the long term effects of cancer.
It was for this reason that Together Living With Cancer was founded in 1985 by a group of cancer survivors and their families at Whittier Area Baptist Fellowship, in Whittier, California (now Whittier Area Community Church). The purpose of TLC is to provide emotional and spiritual support to families living with cancer.
If you are interested in starting such a group, this handbook was written for you. In it you will find information to guide you as a TLC leader. The manual describes such things as what your role is as a leader, how you can structure your meetings and how to deal with difficult situations. You will also find twenty five units of content to provide more than two years worth of material for your group.
It has been a moving and joyful experience to participate in TLC. Our lives have been enriched because of it. We pray that God will richly bless you as you minister to families living with cancer.
Warmly,
Juanita R. Ryan
