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Ways to support cancer patients during the holiday season
We’re transforming the care in cancer for all Public Service Association of NSW members and their families.
Cancer impacts us all – you might be living with cancer, or in remission. You might be a caregiver for a loved one, a supportive friend, or a colleague wanting to know what more you can do to help. As a member of Public Service Association of NSW you and your immediate family have got free access to confidential cancer support by Osara.
Hear it from our participants
“Unlike an employee assistance program, which offers general counseling, Osara Health provides specialized knowledge in a field where individuals are at their most vulnerable. Their expertise ensures that the service is both highly specialized and completely confidential.” – Alissa Anderson, Chief Operating Officer at MinterEllison
Nigel, Cancer Coach Program participant
“Cancer isn’t a journey just for the individual that has cancer, but it’s the cancer journey for everybody around that person, from the spouses to children, parents, grandparents… I started to open up and it gave my employer the opportunity to provide the resources and support that they didn’t know I needed because I didn’t talk about it.”
Megan, Cancer Caregivers Program participant
“The symptom tracking really helped my oncologist, particularly in one instance where I had an infection. With a cancer diagnosis often your infection indicators will go through the roof which can either be prompted by the cancer itself or the treatment. Through the symptoms I was tracking and able to report, my oncologist identified that I actually did have another infection, at which point they were able to put me on antibiotics and that was dealt with. It meant that I wasn’t battling an infection at the same time as battling cancer.”
Marie, Cancer Coach Program participant
“…the program gave me tools to help me to deal with the stress of everything that I was dealing with, not only with my cancer, but with my overall health.”
Steven, Cancer Coach Program participant
“The Osara Health app was a valuable resource for me.
It was things like documenting symptoms. There was information on if I wasn’t sleeping. Some ways of actually trying to settle yourself down and knowing that (Osara Health is) there gives me a lot of comfort.”
Rohan, Cancer Coach Program participant
“The coach mentoring we received allowed us to ask those questions that we wanted to ask, in an open, neutral environment without bias or without anger. It’s given us a holistic understanding of what is happening in our lives in terms of where we are at now.”
Vaughan, Cancer Coach Program participant
“We engaged with Osara Health for giving our cancer patients more tools in their toolbox… We are seeing patients have much better mental health, better resilience, better self-care, have better health literacy.”
Natasha Tunney, Clinical Services Operational Manager, CALHN
“It helped me return to work, and feel confident about returning to work. I found information in there… that have been really relevant to my diagnosis and the way I’ve got through it. So I would recommend give it a go.”
Andy, Cancer Coach Program participant
“The program flows through all aspects of your life. At work, it’s allowed me to be able to talk more openly about my situation and my communication has improved when asking for help.”
Brian, Cancer Caregivers Program participant
“I felt I was a partner in my treatment… The reassurance the module gave me and particularly the app with information about exercise and diet. I didn’t realize how important particularly exercise was.”
Michelle, Cancer Coach Program participant
“The feedback we get from [employees] is that they really value what we offer. They think it’s a game changer in coming to work for an organization like Lendlease.”
Jane Gardner, Head of health and wellbeing strategy, Lendlease
“I found out about the program through my salary continuous insurer… the program actually helped me return to work.”
Nikki, Cancer Coach Program participant
“The caregivers program gave me that advice to make sure I kept exercising regularly and eating well. I still wanted to stay at work, it’s something I love doing and this program allowed me to stay at work and to still function fully.”
Rob, Cancer Caregiver Program participant
“To have someone to chat to about my family and things that were happening, it actually helped psychologically.”
Victoria, Cancer Coach Program participant
The Osara Health experience
For those living with cancer
Empowering individuals living with cancer through empathy and technology.
Health coach
One-on-one support and personalised education from a trained professional. Your Coach will empower you to take action and make decisions that improve your health, while guiding you every step of the way.
Evidence-based resources
Evidence-based techniques that focus on what’s important to you. Whether it’s ‘getting more sleep,’ ‘working through uncertainty,’ ‘speaking to doctors,’ or ‘getting back to normality,’ we offer relevant topics with real-world coping strategies. It’s the stuff you won’t find on Google.
Support when you need it
An accessible expert that’s in your corner and in your pocket. Available via confidential calls, SMS or email.
For cancer caregivers
Tailored care for your needs and theirs.
Health coach
Cancer care is a shared experience, so share the load with a professional Health Coach. Your coach will prioritise your needs, empowering you to be the best caregiver you can be. Your coach will make sure you maintain your own well-being while supporting your loved one.
Evidence-based resources
With reliable, relevant resources readily available, you can research everything from ‘living with uncertainty,’ to ‘managing relationships.’ All content is developed by experts who empathise.
Support when you need it
With Osara, you’ve got confidential support wherever your smartphone goes.
FAQs
Who is eligible?
All association members and immediate family members are eligible to enrol as participants in either program.
Immediate family members are defined as association member’s partner / spouse, children, parents or siblings.
Why is this being delivered and who is Osara Health?
No one should have to go through a cancer diagnosis alone. Osara Health offers support programs when people need us most – to feel connected and in control after a cancer diagnosis.
Osara Health is transforming the way we provide cancer care by empowering people and organisations affected by cancer to thrive using expertise, empathy and technology. Participants gain access to digital tools, dedicated health coaching and evidence-based educational resources, assisting them to feel supported, informed and in control of health outcomes and their wellbeing.
Who pays for the service?
The cost of the program is covered by the organisation.
Who’ll be receiving my personal information?
Osara will hold your information, in line with their privacy policy. All information is encrypted at rest and in-transit, and no information is shared with the organisation without participants’ permission. Your participation in this program including Health Coach calls is entirely confidential.
How do I enrol?
This page houses both enrolment links.
- Self-enrolment: You can enrol yourself confidentially.
- Refer someone: You can refer another member or family member onto the program. This is the suggested method if the participant is comfortable sharing their diagnosis or caregiver role with someone within the organisation who can then enrol the participant directly.
What happens once I enrol (both methods)?
The participant will receive a welcome email and within 48 hours they will be contacted by an Osara Health Coach to walk them through the program they have been enrolled in. The participant will then receive scheduled calls as agreed over the next 6 – 12 weeks, and begin to receive the program content via email and the Osara smartphone application.
How long does the program go for?
Both programs typically run for 6-12 weeks, although this is entirely flexible depending on the participant.
Who are the Health Coaches?
Osara Health Coaches are healthcare professionals who have had experience providing care to patients with cancer. Your Osara Health Coach will support you to create a personal care plan and help you make more educated decisions about your health.
The Health Coach is not a replacement for the medical care team and will not provide any advice on diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or improvement of your or your loved one’s clinical condition.
