• 1. A list of the attendees and persons about whom we are concerned, with telephone numbers and addresses should be kept.
  
  
• 2. The stories that are written by the attendees concerning their cancer journey are valuable for the writer as well as for other group members. Attendees' stories are strongly encouraged. It helps each one define, for himself or herself, their lives as a cancer patient or a care giver.
  
  
• 3. Other writings by attendees that they share with the group, such as poems or essays.
  
  
• 4. Articles from periodicals that are of wide group interest about cancer.
  
  
• 5. Transcribed notes of the meetings of the group including, attendees present, topics discussed, reports on others that are not present who are having particular challenges.
  
  
• 6. Notes of things people are going to do with respect to the group, and others whom we think would benefit by our support.
  
  

All of the other records are kept in a loose leaf binder, and that binder, or "Cancer Support Book", is offered to new attendees to read and return at the next meeting. They will see that others have had some of the same fears and concerns, and how other patients and care givers have dealt with them.

A computer is an asset but not essential to keeping and revising the list of attendees, adding to it and making notes about deceased former attendees. The authors keep duplicate books, and the compiler keeps a record on computer.

Meeting together magnifies hope, and helps the processing of grief felt by patients and care givers.

Meetings open new possibilities to patients and care givers to make further inquiries about their particular disease from other sources and from medical professionals.

They help attendees to have greater resolve and greater peace about their own challenges.