Bibliotherapy + cancer + HW/PC Book Club

Here's a good, short article from the MD Anderson Learning Center about how the simple act of reading, whether fiction or non-fiction, can have a positive effect on patients and their caregivers in dealing with cancer.

In addition to making the case that reading books "… can be beneficial for both patients and caregivers," the article lists several books that sound promising for patients, from dietary recommendations, to memoirs to fiction. In fact, some of the books mentioned in the article even sound like possibilities for future HW/PC Book Club discussions. See what you think

So, there's actually evidence that activities such as our HW/PC Book Club, now in session for May and June, as you must know by now, has a good effect, and is a worthwhile thing for us to be doing to help us deal with this, aside from reading's entertainment value.

Take a look:

/www.mdanderson.org/publications/oncolog/september-2014/house-call-books-can-help-patients-deal-with-cancer.html

JackH -

Not to worry. I already have in mind an "ad campaign," to pitch the Book Club between now and June on a regular basis, to keep it from slipping away onto p.2, p.3, etc., and thus out of mind, as you say.

The trick here, as I see it, is to keep awareness of the club on p.1, preferably toward the top: the billboard effect every few days, as it were. As one might guess, that was one of my motivations for posting this current thread.

As to when this reaches a point of diminishing returns, whether we will have gotten all who plan to participate by the second week of May, or the third, so that further pitching is unproductive, I don't know. So, yes, it's good to keep the "advertising" up at least through the end of the month.

I plan to be using the ever useful "bump" function as well to bring threads encouraging participation to the fore on a regular basis. Also, the "Tuesday Teasers" (posting excerpts from the book) will continue as well.

By my count we have five participants "signed up" so far. We had around 7-10 total for the last round, so I imagine we are more or less "on schedule."

As you say, we should also offer "…a clear indication that newcomers are absolutely welcomed and encouraged to join." Very much so. All are welcome.

So far I think we're going along okay. But thank you, JackH, for your suggestions. I have always found them to be very thought-provoking, indeed.