There are lots of cases the place teddy bears might be the important thing to opening hearts and minds throughout most cancers care.
Listed here are some methods during which a teddy bear might assist grownup most cancers sufferers:
- Teddy bears remind us of childhood and evoke a sense of nostalgia. Nice reminiscences of the previous can consolation us and provides us a way of familiarity. A newly recognized most cancers affected person feels loads of concern and nervousness. Good reminiscences of the previous are embedded within the teddy bear and supply a affected person with a way of calm.
- Teddy bears scale back nervousness. New most cancers sufferers are within the strategy of studying about the kind of most cancers they’ve and what therapy choices can be found to them. This causes stress. The teddy bear might help to scale back that stress by means of the sense of contact. Identical to petting a canine can decrease your cortisol degree, the identical is true for embracing and holding a teddy bear. An encompassing power is current within the teddy bear that the affected person experiences.
- There’s a mystical side about teddy bears in that they supply unconditional love. They’re symbols of affection. When a most cancers affected person holds a teddy bear, they really feel beloved. They really feel a soothing connection. That is the explanation teddy bears assist sufferers who’re grieving the lack of their breasts, bladder, testicles or prostate gland.
- Teddy bears assist sufferers to enhance their coping abilities, they usually present a way of assist that’s tangible. They foster a kind of interior power. When most cancers sufferers are confronted with dealing with insurance coverage issues, authorized and monetary points, it may be overwhelming. Having to ascertain residing wills and medical powers of legal professional might be horrifying. Teddy bears might help to make most cancers sufferers really feel protected and comfy in expressing how they really feel. In doing so, teddy bears might help to enhance our psychological well being and well-being.
Reddy bear created by Chester
- Teddy bears make us smile. When most cancers sufferers maintain a teddy bear, it could usually carry a smile to their face. It is a spontaneous response. The mind releases neurotransmitters of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which assist to enhance the temper, scale back the guts charge, and even trigger sufferers to loosen up. With a lot occurring within the thoughts of a most cancers affected person, this may trigger them to cease and really feel pleasure inside their physique. And that pleasure radiates inside them. When most cancers sufferers are visited by family members and pals who care about them, that too, places a smile on their face and that assist helps to construct resilience.
Total, teddy bears are nice healers. They’ll enhance our motivations. The sense of contact gives assist and assist us to develop adaptability. Teddy bears might help to strengthen our religion and provides us an excellent sense of safety in the course of the time after we’re recognized and after we’re starting therapy. They supply hope all through the therapy course of, whether or not surgical procedure, chemotherapy or radiation is concerned. Teddy bears might help us to be taught to just accept ourselves as we’re and assist us after we’re shedding our hair and grieving that loss.
There are three elements {that a} most cancers affected person might take into consideration once they view a teddy bear. First, they’re trying on the teddy bear’s facial features. Subsequent, they think about whether or not or not the teddy bear’s persona appeals to them. And eventually, they resolve in the event that they like the colour of the bear. When these elements coalesce in a most cancers affected person’s thoughts, a particular inner connection takes place with the bear and this, for me, is the place the paranormal features full that connection. There’s an embracing power. It’s one thing I can’t clarify as a result of it’s past phrases. The teddy bear is then capable of assist relieve the concern of a newly recognized affected person having to go for a CT scan and PET scan. The teddy bear might accompany them and thus, might immediately have an effect on their angle and talent to manage. There’s an astonishing sense of safety. That is the ability of a teddy bear.
When given to somebody by household and pals or philanthropic organizations, teddy bears tackle particular which means and significance. They’ll help with eradicating doubt, concern, and uncertainty from a affected person. They embody caregiving of their essence. When nobody is round, the most cancers affected person nonetheless feels a heightened sense of presence, overflowing with love and assist, embodied within the teddy bear. The affected person will not be alone, they usually really feel infinite compassion.
Easton Rotary Membership Members
The Rotary Membership of Easton, Pennsylvania, demonstrates this with their undertaking referred to as, “Valentine’s Day Teddy Bears for Oncology Sufferers.” They began giving out teddy bears on Valentine’s Day with a card that learn: “Roses are crimson, and violets are blue, that can assist you really feel higher, right here’s a teddy bear for you.” This undertaking has been occurring for twenty-four years and the Rotary members have given out a whole lot of bears. Initially, the main focus of the undertaking was on grownup inpatient most cancers sufferers receiving chemotherapy infusions. Nevertheless, it grew to become so widespread that they’re now giving bears to outpatients as nicely. Two years in the past, they expanded their program to close by hospitals that care for kids with most cancers in addition to different medical considerations.
Oncology and Nursing Unit at Easton Hospital

In my view, this program validates how highly effective teddy bears might be within the care of grownup most cancers sufferers, and it corroborates my scientific experiences. No matter the kind of most cancers a affected person might have, a teddy bear is a good useful resource to assist the affected person on their most cancers journey.
As adults, all of us want assist, and I believe there’s no higher technique to achieve that assist than by having a teddy bear in our room. They make everybody smile! They usually’re an excellent supply of remedy for all of us!
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