Southport Magazine

Community plays a big part in helping others heal or those in need

Story by Lisa Stites

Many people support our communities in all kinds of ways. We fill shelves at the food pantry, buy backpacks and fill them with supplies before school starts, volunteer with literacy programs or at the domestic violence shelter, mentor and tutor students, and donate money and clothes to charities doing good work. 

The list of how we help each other is long. Support can come in other forms too, especially when you or someone you love is facing a health crises, is navigating the path to recovery or is otherwise going through a difficult time. The support groups many of our friends and neighbors rely on are as close as neighborhood churches, restaurants or any place where people can gather and connect with others who understand. 

Oak Island resident and breast cancer survivor Sarah Whitmer started “The Girls” of Brunswick Cancer Support Group in 2014. She and a couple other Oak Island residents had been attending a group in Wilmington and Whitmer was asked to start a similar one in Brunswick County. “The Girls” group is all about supporting each other with laughter. 

“We’re celebrating the battles we’ve gone through and supporting other women who are just beginning their own journey,” Whitmer said. The group meets monthly in an area restaurant in Southport, Oak Island or Leland. There are 85 women officially included in the Facebook group, but between 20-25 usually attend a dinner. It’s a relaxed atmosphere where women can share their stories if they want, ask questions, or just have girl talk. Whitmer said one of the members was reluctant to join, not being a group person and thinking that support groups were just a pity party, or nothing but dwelling on the negatives. Now, that member smiles and laughs with other survivors. 

“It’s an outlet,” Whitmer said. “It’s like a friendship group and the thing we have in common is that we’ve all had cancer.” For more information about this group, contact Whitmer at 910-471-6335.

Another group that focuses on cancer survivors is a more recent addition to the area’s support system. 

R.I.S.E. Cancer Support Group (resilient, informed, strong, extraordinary) was started by St. James resident Susan Werlinich; the group meets in her home at 4509 Fieldstone Circle and is open to anyone in any stage of cancer diagnosis or treatment. The group meets the second and fourth Wednesday from 3-4:30 p.m.

“I just feel like people who have cancer need a place where they can voice their concerns, and ask questions, sort of know that they are not alone.” Werlinich said. Werlinich was an oncology nurse specialist in Ohio before retiring not quite two years ago. She said she loves working with groups, and knew she wanted to continue that work in her new hometown. 

R.I.S.E. is also a no-pressure group. Werlinich says she encourages people to attend two or three times before deciding if the group is for them. She said people don’t even need to tell her whether they are attending. She doesn’t have an agenda to follow, and the meeting is led by the members themselves as they decide what to discuss.

“Groups aren’t for everyone,” Werlinich said,”but it’s nice to have available.”

Lower Case Fear Hospice (LCFH) is known for the physical care provided to patients, but the organization also offers grief counseling and hosts support groups to those dealing with loss. 

Support groups meets in New Hanover, Brunswick and Columbus Counties, but anyone may participate in any of the groups. There is no cost to join, but registration is required. 

“Our mission is not just to provide the highest level of care and comfort to patients, but also to provide support and counseling to families and education to the community,” Lower Cape Fear Hospice spokesperson Amanda Hutcheson said. “We know that grief can seem overwhelming and challenging, and we know the importance of encouragement and compassion as people are grieving. These programs and workshops are available to anyone in the community who is coping with grief after the loss of an important person, regardless of whether that person received hospice care.” 

LCFH offers summer camps for children and hosts family days, where families can spend time playing together and learning how grief affects families, Hutcheson explained. The organization also offers specialized programs, such as dealing with grief at the holidays.

“If someone is struggling with grief, they can reach out to us at 910-796-7991 to learn about grief groups that might be a good fit and other services that may be of benefit to them,” Hutcheson said. 

Many of our area churches host support groups, such as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, grief support groups, and others. There are too many groups to list, so here are just a few of the many groups meeting in our communities: 

Caregivers Support Group meets at the The Brunswick Center (Senior Center) at Leland, 121 Town Hall Drive, on the second Thursday of the month from 10-11:30 a.m. Contact Holly Pilson 910-395-4553 ext. 204 for more information. 

Stroke Support Group meets at The Brunswick Center (Senior Center) at Southport, 1513 N. Howe Street on the third Monday at 1 p.m. A Caregivers Support Group also meets at the Center on the fourth Wednesday at 10 a.m. 

Lower Cape Fear Hospice groups (check https://www.lcfh.org/grief-groups-workshops/ for more information):

Coping with the Death of a Child – A six-week grief program for those who have lost a child, Wednesdays, Aug. 6 through Sept. 10, 1-3 p.m. at the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick.

Coping with the Death of a Spouse or Partner – A six-week grief program for those who have lost a spouse or partner, Thursdays, Aug. 8 through Sept. 12, 1-3 p.m. at the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick.

Coping with the Death of a Loved One – A six-week grief program for those who have lost a loved one, Wednesdays, Aug. 21 through Sept. 25, 2-4 p.m. at the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick.

Coping with the Death of a Spouse or Partner – a six-week grief program for those who have lost a spouse or partner, Wednesdays, Aug. 28 through Sept. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Leland Library.

Coping with the Death of a Child – a six-week grief program for those who have lost a child, Wednesdays, Oct. 16 through Nov. 20, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Leland Library.