There is no standard procedure for establishing a Reach to Recovery group. It will vary from country to country and according to different situations.

Establishing the need

A group interested in implementing a Reach to Recovery programme in the community should assess if there is a clear need for the programme and who will benefit from it. Factors to consider are the cancer burden in the country or community, the problems of breast cancer survivors, culture, language and available resources.

A needs assessment and feasibility study should assess the following.

• Number of breast cancer patients and where they are treated:
  • Incidence of breast cancer
  • Types of treatment available
  • Population projections
  • Hospitals where patients are treated
  • Distance between patient homes and hospitals
• Patient and family needs
  • Have women a need for support?
  • What issues are women and families concerned about?
• Health professionals, key agencies and other stakeholders
  • Have medical, allied health colleagues identified a need?
  • Are there experts you could consult with?
• Cancer societies
  • Is there a cancer society?
  • If so, what is their opinion? Will they be supportive?
• Audit of community resources
  • Are other supportive care programmes available?
  • Are other agencies supportive?
  • Is there a need for a new programme?
• Practical considerations
  • Is volunteerism accepted in your culture and community?
  • Will volunteers be able to visit?
  • Who will refer women to the service?
  • Resources you may need

Getting started

The following guidelines will help you to start a one-to-one volunteer visiting programme for breast cancer patients. Critical to a successful programme is a thorough assessment of local circumstances and the needs of women with breast cancer in your community. No two Reach to Recovery programmes are exactly the same.

Define your aims and objectives

The objective of an individual Reach to Recovery programme is to offer emotional, informational and practical support for women affected by breast cancer.

An example: “to conduct and support a rehabilitation programme that offers one-to-one support by trained volunteer visitors in complete confidence, with the aim of enabling patients to find the motivation for recovery with optimal quality of life.”

Define your priorities and tasks

For example:

• Clarify the need for a Reach to Recovery programme and identify people and groups interested in supporting such a programme
• Appoint a working group, including medical, nursing and patient representatives, as well as a medical advisor and others as appropriate, and recruit a coordinator
• Define the programme of activities: patient visiting, volunteer recruitment and training
• Establish lines of communication and assign tasks
• Estimate the resources you will need (documentation, office space, telephone costs, promotional leaflets, prostheses, etc.)
• Contact the local cancer organizations to try to gain support and get them involved. They may take responsibility for initiating the programme or providing resources
• Develop a fund-raising plan
• Advise the medical community of your programme and be assured of their cooperation (surgeons, general practitioners, treatment centres, nurses, social workers and others such as providers of prosthesis). Involve them in the programme
• Define a media and promotional campaign in order to recruit volunteers and introduce the project to the local community. Confirm the availability of the service by writing to medical, nursing and community health networks
• Determine where patients will be visited and establish a base where your group can be contacted. Establish a protocol for in-hospital visits
• Identify the availability of prostheses and special clothing and patient entitlement to financial assistance
• Assemble an appropriate patient kit for distribution by volunteers during patient visits. This might include:
  • Temporary prosthesis
  • Information on supporting organizations
  • Lists of community resources
  • Patient information literature
  • Information about the RRI programme
  • A volunteer visitor’s calling card
• Develop a system for reporting and recording information following each visit to ensure accountability
• Nominate a panel for volunteer selection and recruitment of volunteers
• Provide volunteers with an initial training programme, followed by regular ongoing guidance and training
• Pre-certify any volunteer who has withdrawn and become inactive for a two-year period, and provide appropriate Reach to Recovery training before she is able to visit patients again
• Initiate the visiting programme and define methods for evaluating it

Guidelines for Volunteers

A volunteer is a breast cancer survivor who

• is physically fit
• has adjusted psychologically to treatment
• is recommended as suitable by her doctor
• has completed her treatment more than one year before
• models a return to good health
• is carefully selected and trained
• is ready to work as part of a team
• is able to articulate effective coping strategies
• is committed to continuing training, education and supervision

A visit to a woman in hospital is made with her approval and that of her doctor. Home visits may be made, but only on request.

Volunteers respect the need for total confidentiality. Reach to Recovery volunteers do not see themselves as trained therapists and do not give medical advice or make comparisons with their own treatment. Volunteers understand their boundaries and refer patients requiring further support to an appropriate professional or organization.