Cancer patients, survivors find support on Zoom

Cancer patients at Gilda's Club rely on online support groups during COVID-19.

ALL NEW THIS MORNING -ONE GROUP IS REMINDINGUS THE CORONAVIRUSDOESN'T BRING LIFE TO AHALT.ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ORA LOVED ONE IS FIGHTINGCANCER.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHARLIEKEEGAN JOINS US FROMGILDA"S CLUB WITHHOW THE GROUP ISCONTINUING TO HELPPEOPLE IN THEIR BATTLEWITH CANCER.PEOPLE IN ALL STAGES OFTHE FIGHT WITH CANCERRELY ON FACE TO FACEMEETINGS INSIDE THISBUILDING TO GIVE THEMSUPPORT THEY NEED.BUT BECAUSE OF SOCIALDISTANCING - GILDA"SCLUB CANT HAVE GROUPSGATHER INSIDE.SO LIKE MOST OF US THEGROUP IS MOVING TO AWEB CHAT PLATFORM.SUPPORT GROUPS -WORKSHOPS -EDUCATIONAL WEBINARSARE ALL TAKING PLACEONLINE JUST AS THEYWOULD IF THE BUILDINGWAS OPEN.I SPOKE TO A WOMAN WHOIS A CANCER SURVIVORAND WHOSE FATHER WASRECENTLY DIAGNOSEDWITH CANCER.SHE TOLD ME THESEONLINE GROUP MEETINGSGIVE HER A CHANCE TOLAUGH - THE ORG ISNAMED AFTER A COMEDIANAFTER ALL.Jenny Marshall//father hascancer"we laugh like crazy.

And welaugh atthings other people wouldprobablythink are very inappropriatewhenyou have cancer.

If you don'tlaughabout it, you're going to cryandsome days you don't wanna cry.You're just tired of crying."Clara Anderson Sainte // Gilda'sClubKansas CityJust being able to really showthemthat people still care aboutthem thatpeople are still thinking ofthem nadthat like everything they'reexperiencing is normal from whatweknow and can validate it's ok tobeterrified, angry and sad, butyou'realso loved and we can hold youupand support you in that way."GILDA"S CLUB IS USINGA HIPPA COMPLIANTVERSION OF ZOOM FOR ITSMEETINGS.IT ADDS A FEW MORELAYERS OF SECURITY TOGUARANTEE ONLY PEOPLEWHO ARE SUPPOSED TOBE IN THE CHAT ARE IN THECONVERSATION.REPORTING LIVE IN KCMOCHARLIE KEEGAN