Faith-Based Support for Mesothelioma Patients
Faith-based support for patients with mesothelioma can take different forms. Many hospitals offer in-house chaplains or other religious support services for patients of different faiths.
However, religion is not the only way a patient can be supported spiritually. Any activity that nurtures the spirit or soul may help patients cope with cancer and other illnesses. In fact, faith-based services are sometimes considered a form of palliative care for mesothelioma for the relief they can bring.
Examples of faith-based support options include:
- Chaplain services at hospitals
- Community outreach programs
- Faith-based cancer support groups
- Local religious organizations
- Meditation and mindfulness practices
- Prayer and scripture readings
Research from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) found that spiritual involvement during cancer treatment can improve quality of life, help patients adjust to cancer treatment, and increase positive feelings like hope and satisfaction.
“There are things that make this diagnosis better. And in our situation, it is our church, 500%. We are major Christ followers with a lot of happy, hilarious incidents in our lives.”
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, our team is here to help. Get our Free Mesothelioma Guide for comprehensive information on treatments, financial support, and more.
Benefits of Faith-Based Support
Even people who don’t consider themselves religious or spiritual can see health benefits from faith-based support after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Benefits of faith-based support for mesothelioma include:
- Better ability to deal with treatment side effects
- Higher levels of happiness and satisfaction with life
- Increased sense of community
- Less discomfort
- Lessened feelings of anxiety and depression
- Lower blood pressure
- Stronger interpersonal relationships
Faith and medicine work in partnership. Medical treatment addresses the body, while faith can nurture the spirit — together giving patients a more complete foundation for healing and resilience.
According to the NCI, spiritual services and having faith may improve patients’ mental attitudes toward their diagnosis, cancer care, and life in general. Caregivers with faith-based outlooks may see improved quality of life as well.
Walter Twidwell, a U.S. Navy veteran and mesothelioma warrior, received much-needed support from his spiritual community, sharing: “If they don’t see me at church on Sunday, they’re down here checking on me in the hospital.”
Faith-Based Mesothelioma Support Groups
A good way to get connected with others is through a mesothelioma support group. Support groups allow you to connect, share your feelings, and find community while navigating a mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment. Many support groups are more general, but there are also groups specific to certain religions and faiths.
Here are some ways to find a faith-based mesothelioma support group:
- Ask for a referral from your cancer center
- Talk to leaders at your church, temple, mosque, or synagogue
- Connect with national nonprofits for virtual options
- Find a social worker who can connect you with faith-based services
Mesothelioma Hope also hosts a monthly support group for patients, families, and caregivers. Sign up here to get on the list.
Other Faith-Based Support Options
Faith-based support can take many forms, and the available options will vary by the hospital or mesothelioma cancer center. Below are common faith-based services you may be able to access through your cancer center.
Chapel
Hospital chapels are quiet spaces that are often available around the clock, ensuring patients and family members can connect with their faith whenever they feel the need.
Chaplains, Counseling & Rituals
Many hospitals have a chaplain on call or in-house, ensuring that patients can access a leader of their faith at any time. Chaplains will come to the patient’s room or the chapel to provide guidance and perform rituals, such as prayer before surgery.
Chaplains can also help with counseling, planning for end-of-life care, and funeral arrangements. In addition to routine chaplain visits, many hospitals will also arrange for visits from a minister, rabbi, priest, imam, pandit, or another religious leader if requested by a patient.
Quiet Spaces
Many hospitals have quiet places where individuals can go to pray, meditate, and reflect. For example, the Johns Hopkins Hospital offers both meditation rooms and healing gardens for these purposes. Most hospitals offer some form of quiet space for patients to work on their faith-based healing.
Spiritual Activities
As comprehensive cancer centers and other hospitals increasingly see the value of spiritual and holistic care, more spiritual activities are being added for patients. Painting, yoga, meditation, animal therapy, music therapy, and community socialization are all examples of spiritual activities that a hospital may offer.
Most of these activities are run on a pre-set schedule that patients will be provided.
Telephone Consultations
When it isn’t possible for spiritual or religious leaders to visit a hospital in person, patients may still be able to access support through telephone consultations. In some cases, video conferencing or other modern technology may be used for these conversations as well.
Television Channels
Another option for accessing spiritual support is through television. Some hospitals offer dedicated channels for spiritual guidance, while others will allow patients to access faith-based support through cable programming.
Weekly Worship
Most hospitals offer some form of worship services, often in more than one faith. While Catholic and Christian-based worship is the most common, many hospitals also offer Jewish, Muslim, and interfaith services as well.
Faith-Based Challenges for Mesothelioma Patients
It’s common for mesothelioma patients to question their faith and belief system. Cancer feels extraordinarily unfair.
This can cause people to challenge their belief system and ask questions like:
- Why do I have cancer?
- How could my faith let me down like this?
- What could I have done differently?
- How can life be so unfair?
There are a lot of questions of faith that can be extraordinarily difficult to navigate alone. Having faith-based support can help patients find answers, better connect with their belief system, and come to peace with the challenges they are facing.
Mesothelioma patients may also find that their existing values and beliefs change entirely. They may seek religion for the first time or consider a new type of faith. In either case, having personal spiritual guidance can help patients explore new territories.
Emotional and Spiritual Support
In addition to religious and faith-based support, mesothelioma patients may also pursue emotional support. Many hospitals’ faith-based support systems can help patients with their emotional and spiritual questions, regardless of faith.
It’s common for people with mesothelioma to experience a range of complex emotions. A cancer diagnosis is scary and overwhelming. Cancer patients may struggle with their own mortality or survivor’s guilt. However, some positives may come from it too, such as stronger connections with family.
Additional spiritual support may include:
- Being heard without judgment
- Comfort during difficult moments
- Confidential sharing of thoughts, fears, and anxieties
- Conversations that work through challenging events
- Having a partner for prayer
- The opportunity to live your traditions and beliefs
Maintaining spirituality and finding a higher purpose can improve a patient’s ability to fight and manage their illness.
Spiritual health directly impacts mental and physical health, making it an essential component of a person’s overall well-being. Therefore, it’s important to take care of your spiritual health and consider using any faith-based support options that are available to you.
“With God’s help and a lot of family spending time together during all that, we just pushed forward the best we could. In those bad times, we found a lot of blessings.”
– Terri Crosby Cole, daughter of mesothelioma warrior Fred Crosby
Finding strength and resilience during your mesothelioma journey is possible. Discover how others have found hope in our Free Survivors Guide.
Faith and End-of-Life Decisions for Family Members
End-of-life decision-making can be challenging for patients, but it also takes its toll on family members. Faith-based support options can help patients and their family members answer important questions and make decisions on what should happen if the patient passes away.
While it can be tough to think about, end-of-life decisions can help provide closure and ease some of the burdens on family members.
Cost of Mesothelioma Faith-Based Services
One major concern most mesothelioma patients face is the cost of medical services. Treatment for mesothelioma is expensive, with total costs mounting quickly. Fortunately, most spiritual services are free or very low-cost. For example, use of a hospital chapel or meeting with a chaplain is typically free of charge.
Meeting with a pastor privately is often free as well, though some spiritual leaders may ask for a small fee or donation. Spiritual and faith-based services are some of the few mesothelioma palliative care options that are low-cost, compared to treatments such as surgery or medication.
If you need help paying for cancer care, remember that financial assistance may be available to you. There are many avenues to compensation, including grants, VA benefits for former military service members, and legal claims from asbestos trust funds. This financial support could help you pay for treatment, protect your family’s future, and alleviate much of the stress you feel during this difficult time.
Get Faith-Based Support for Mesothelioma
Spiritual guidance and other faith-based activities can help ease the transition and make living with mesothelioma easier to cope with. Faith-based support services help patients enjoy their remaining time with as much peace and comfort as possible while incorporating their faith or belief systems.
No matter your faith or belief system, Mesothelioma Hope is here to support you on this journey.
We can help you:
- Understand your palliative care options
- Find a support group or peer mentor
- Explore other support resources
Give us a call at (866) 608-8933 or contact us at any time for dedicated support.
Mesothelioma & Faith FAQs
How can keeping faith after a mesothelioma diagnosis help?
Keeping faith after a mesothelioma diagnosis can serve as an anchor during a time that often feels overwhelming and uncertain.
For many patients and families, faith is more than just a belief system — it is a resource for resilience, a source of comfort, and a way to find strength in the midst of treatment and challenges.
Faith could help mesothelioma patients by:
- Providing a sense of meaning and purpose: Faith can help mesothelioma patients make sense of their diagnosis by framing it within a larger spiritual or life perspective.
- Offering comfort and peace: Prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices often create feelings of calm and reassurance. For mesothelioma patients who may face pain or uncertainty, these can go a long way to easing emotional distress.
- Encouraging hope: Even in difficult circumstances, faith can nurture optimism and hope for better days ahead.
- Strengthening coping mechanisms: Faith communities and spiritual beliefs can give patients tools to manage stress and anxiety. Support from religious groups, rituals, or scripture can help people process their emotions, feel less alone, and handle their cancer diagnosis with more resilience.
In short, faith does not erase the difficulties of a mesothelioma diagnosis, but it can offer strength, peace, and hope when they are needed most.
Is there a link between religious faith and mesothelioma survival?
While faith doesn’t directly affect mesothelioma survival, it does play an important role in managing quality of life during cancer treatment and beyond.
Cancer studies suggest that spiritual well-being may:
- Encourage patients to stick with treatment and follow medical guidance
- Improve emotional resilience, helping patients cope with the challenges of illness
- Reduce stress and anxiety, which can support overall health
- Strengthen social support networks through religious or faith communities
Because of this, faith-based support services could play a key role in supporting your mesothelioma treatment plan. It’s important to know if your hospital has religious resources available to you.
How does faith complement medical care?
Faith can complement medical care by addressing the emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of mesothelioma patients that may not be covered by standard treatments.
While doctors and treatments focus on controlling the disease and managing symptoms, faith can strengthen a patient’s mindset and help them cope with the emotional issues that come with a cancer diagnosis.
Prayer, meditation, or scripture can reduce anxiety before procedures, giving patients a calmer frame of mind. Faith communities may also provide practical help (meals, transportation, or financial support), which makes it easier for patients to focus on their medical treatment.
Get our Free Survivors Guide to read stories of hope and faith from mesothelioma patients who have lived for years or decades with this cancer.
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