Long before a cancer diagnosis has sunk in, patients are often asked to make big decisions about treatments.
Navigating hospitals and understanding the healthcare system is daunting for anyone - but for non-English speakers it can prove a huge challenge.
But one Australian cancer centre is trying to make the experience less intimidating.
Patients who speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Italian and Greek can now get help in-language when they visit the Wellbeing Centre at Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
Steven Sam was one such patient. The 57-year old was hugely relieved to find Cantonese speakers among volunteers recruited to assist non-English-speaking patients.
"Having a program like this brings a sense of comfort and connection. It makes me happy," he said.
The director of prevention and wellbeing at Peter MacCallum, Geri McDonald, said as a result of the program, patients and their families from non-English speaking backgrounds are now seeking help more readily.
"What we see is patients coming into the wellbeing centre and feeling confident enough to come up to us and said I need some help with this, or I've got this going on can you help me resolve this issue. Whereas previously they weren't coming in. And they may not even have attended all of their appointments."
Cultural events and cooking demonstrations are regularly held at the Wellbeing Centre to bring people together.
Former patient and now consumer representative, Shu Yi Soong, recently organised a Mooncake festival where patients and their carers learn about the second-most important festival in China after Chinese New Year.
They also got to sample the Chinese baked goods traditionally eaten during the festival.
"We've had a lot of dancing with some of the groups performing. We've had a karaoke session. We've had a lot of arts and crafts during the Lunar New Year season to help people learn how to decorate their homes.
"And we have also had a more low-key session for the Arabic community - by their request - a little coffee session where you just welcome people and just have a casual chat over coffee."
There has been collaboration with cultural groups.
Dorothy Yiu, from the Chinese Cancer and Chronic Illness Society of Victoria, said the events serve as a welcome distraction.
“Having some sort of activities at the hospital will actually help them forget about their illness at least for the time being. And also they can feel that they can still enjoy life. And there is still life for them apart from a cancer diagnosis."
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