Discussion groups, lectures, medical yoga – but above all, a place where cancer patients, their relatives and survivors can meet people with similar experiences. This is the idea behind Kraftens House in Gothenburg, which will open at the end of January.
Kraftens hus has been present in Borås for six years, and now its business is expanding. Last spring, Kraftens Hus opened in Stockholm, and now it's time to visit Gothenburg.
In October, the company moved to Norges hus in Ullevi, and since then the focus has been on completing the building – but some activities have already been undertaken.
– During the fall semester we had a café, medical yoga, and lectures with advance notice. From now on, you should only be able to walk-in, and from now on we will be open three days a week. We build content based on what members need and want,” says Maria Holtmann Gonzalez, COO of Kraftens hus Gothenburg.
Lecture on wigs
At Norges hus, the business has offices, meeting rooms, a large creative room where you can participate in artistic activities, a discussion room for groups and a “stress-free room” where it should be quiet and calm for those who want to read a book, talk quietly or just relax.
– A few times a week we will have access to the entire Norwegian house, and then we will have access to a large café and a room where you can give lectures. In the future, we have, among others, a lecture on family support, one on how to talk to your children about having cancer, one on wigs and turbans, and then an occupational therapist from Sahlgrenska will come and talk about fatigue. (Extreme fatigue in illness, common in cancer, editor's note).
New search
About every two weeks there will be medical yoga, and this spring there will also be another physical activity and two discussion groups: one for people with metastatic cancer and a family group.
-But we plan our operations all the time, so there will probably be more than that. We also want to collaborate with healthcare to obtain information about new research.
Get to know others in the same situation
Activities are important, says Maria Hultmann González, but the most important function of the Kraften hus is a meeting place: where visitors can meet others in the same situation. It is also the most requested.
– Here you can start talking about cancer immediately, and talk about difficulties in a way that you may not do with your friends or in your workplace. Here you don't have to think, “Can they listen to me?”, Here everyone is interested in your journey with cancer, says Maria Holtmann Gonzalez and continues:
– There is openness, energy and strength here, while you can also feel sad or anxious. All the feelings are here, and you can talk to each other and to us about it.
It was opened at the end of this month
Although operations have already begun gradually, the official opening day of Kraftens hus Gothenburg is January 30th. Then it is open to everyone However, advance registration is required. On January 31, the inauguration continues with a day dedicated to those affected by cancer (the affected and their relatives) and on February 1, the focus is on health care workers.
Text: Ellen Widfeldt
[email protected]
House of power
The idea of Kraftens hus is that no one should be alone with cancer. The business is open to cancer patients, relatives and people who have lost someone to cancer, regardless of age.
For those who are completely new and want to learn more about Kraftens hus, it's best to come on a Thursday, when the staff can tell you about the different parts of the business.
Kraftens hus is managed with support from the Västra Götaland region, the Regional Cancer Center West (RCC West) and Chalmers.
The work is based on collaboration with healthcare and other authorities, civil society, business and other organisations.
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