Survivorship Workshop Series Begins Apr. 13

March 23, 2010

This Spring, CancerCare, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, LIVESTRONG, Intercultural Cancer Council, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, will present a four-part telephone workshop series, The Eighth Annual Cancer Survivorship Series: Living With, Through & Beyond Cancer

This free series, made possible by support from the National Cancer Institute and LIVESTRONG, offers cancer survivors, their families, friends and health care professionals practical information to help them cope with concerns and issues that arise after treatment ends.

Part I, which takes place on Tuesday, April 13th, is entitled, Trouble Sleeping? Sleep Better to Feel Better: Tips You Can Use. The faculty for this program includes Elizabeth D. McKinley, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Dean, Emily Blackwell Society, Case School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University; Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD, Director, Gillin Sleep and Chronomedicine Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Professor of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego; and Stewart B. Fleishman, MD, Director, Supportive Services, Continuum Cancer Centers of New York, Beth Israel Medical Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. 

Part II, Communicating with Your Health Care Team After Treatment: Making the Most of Your Visit, will take place on May 18th.  Part III, Survivorship and Workplace Transitions, will take place on June 22nd.  And Part IV, Survivors Too: Communicating With and Among Family, Friends and Loved Ones, will take place on July 13th. All of the workshops take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

These workshops are free – no phone charges apply.  However, pre-registration is required.  To register simply go to the CancerCare website, www.cancercare.org/connect.  Please plan to join us, and share this information with cancer survivors, their caregivers and your colleagues.

Share

USA Today Examines Rising Costs of Cancer Treatments

March 19, 2010

An article published in USA Today this past Wednesday mentions CancerCare in an examination of escalating costs of cancer treatment.

The costs of treatment and care for a person with cancer have skyrocketed in recent years, with overall spending in the U.S. now exceeding $90 billion.  It is impossible to provide an estimate of the “average” cost of cancer treatment, as hundreds of different diagnoses and their respective costs are too extreme to yield an accurate median.

The only certainty is, cancer is an extremely expensive illness to treat.  Charitable organizations such as CancerCare provide financial help to thousands of people per year but are not the total solution to the financial hardships people with cancer too often face.

We are optimistic that this weekend’s vote on health care reform will spark a change towards more comprehensive coverage, and help to ease the already-tremendous financial burden of a cancer diagnosis on individuals and families.

For more than 60 years, CancerCare has provided financial assistance to help with some types of costs, including transportation, homecare, childcare, and pain medication. Our social workers and case managers are knowledgeable about financial issues, and will work closely with you to get you the help you need.

The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation was created in 2007 to help people with health insurance who are struggling to cover their treatment co-payments.  Qualified individuals with certain diagnoses may receive up to $10,000 per year in co-payment assistance.

CancerCare is a member of the Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (CFAC), a coalition of organizations that help cancer patients manage their financial challenges.  We encourage you to use the coalition’s resource directory to find financial resources in your community.

To learn more about managing the cost of cancer treatment, please visit the ASCO Cancer Foundation’s financial assistance section of their website.

Read the full USA Today article here.

Share

New Helpline Provides Free Support to People Facing Melanoma

March 15, 2010

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with melanoma, call 877-MRF-6460 (877-673-6460) to receive free telephone counseling and reliable information about resources and ways to cope. 

The Melanoma Helpline is the result of a partnership between CancerCare and The Melanoma Research Foundation. It is staffed by CancerCare’s professional oncology social workers and operates Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time, and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Time.

Melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, is one of the fastest growing cancers worldwide, and the incidence of people under 30 developing melanoma is increasing faster than any other demographic group. Melanoma can be an aggressive and deadly cancer but people who are diagnosed in its earliest stage have a survival rate of over 90%.

Call The Melanoma Helpline at 877-MRF-6460 (877-673-6460).

To learn more about melanoma, visit The Melanoma Research Foundation’s website.

Share

Huffington Post Features CancerCare’s Annual Cupcakes Fundraiser for Kids’ Program

March 10, 2010

Check out The Huffington Post‘s  latest coverage of our CancerCare for Kids fundraising event, Cupcakes for a Cause!

The article, written by CancerCare Director of Corporate Relations Christina Wyman, details the event’s history, which began in New York City in 2004.  What was initially just 12 local bakeries donating the proceeds from selling cupcakes adorned with the CancerCare logo has now evolved into a national campaign, with over 365 bakeries participating in 2009.

CancerCare for Kids was created to address the special needs and concerns of children and adolescents who are coping with cancer. CancerCare‘s professional oncology social workers help families navigate the often complex issues they face when coping with a cancer diagnosis though age-appropriate counseling, therapeutic recreational activities, educational materials, and financial assistance.

Here are just a few ways that you can help support Cupcakes for a Cause:

  • Download a bake sale kit and host your own bake sale, and donate the proceeds to CancerCare for Kids
  • Create virtual e-Cupcakes and sending them to friends and family. Last year, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM® donated $1 per e-Cupcake for the first 5,000 sent.
  • Purchase Cupcakes in Bloom, non-edible cupcakes provided by 1-800-FLOWERS. Last September, 10% of net proceeds from the sales of these cupcake-shaped floral arrangements went to support our CancerCare for Kids program.

The Huff Post‘s Tammy Tibbetts also writes about the cupcakes for charity trend and mentions CancerCare‘s campaign. Read Tammy’s article.

The 2010 Cupcakes for a Cause Week will take place September 20-26, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Please visit our Cupcakes for a Cause website for more information. To learn more about our specialized services for children and families facing cancer, visit CancerCare for Kids or call 1-800-813-HOPE (4673).

Share

Co-Payment Assistance Available to Kidney and Colorectal Cancer Patients

March 4, 2010

March is both Kidney Cancer Awareness Month and National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation provides up to $10,000 per year in co-payment assistance to eligible individuals facing renal cell carcinoma or colorectal cancer.

CancerCare has also responded to the needs of people facing kidney cancer by hosting Connect Education Workshops that offer information about research and treatment in kidney cancer and offering informative kidney cancer publications in our ever-expanding online reading room.

To learn about treatment updates for colorectal cancer, listen to our most recent Connect Education Workshop, Emerging Treatments for Colorectal Cancer: What’s New? Other Connect Education Workshops have explored colorectal cancer topics such as improved treatment options through clinical trials and updates on genetic testing for recurrence.

Additionally, this month’s Ask CancerCare column gives you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about coping with colorectal cancer.

For more resources on these cancers, visit the diagnoses pages on our website. 

Share

Brain Tumor Survivor Chronicles Journey With Help And Hope

March 3, 2010

Our friend Johnny Cathcart stopped by our offices last week to share his story with us. Johnny, a two-time brain cancer survivor, details his story in the touching and hilarious Hotpants: A Memoir

The critically-acclaimed memoir traces Johnny’s journey from his unassuming adolescence through the struggle of his life, and ultimately examines the power of optimism, humor and hope. Hotpants: A Memoir is available for purchase through Amazon, and we encourage you to visit Johnny’s website and view his demo reel here.

To learn about the latest in brain tumor research, please register for our upcoming Connect Education Workshop Brain Tumors: Current Treatments and Hope for the Future.

Learn more about CancerCare’s free, professional support services for people with brain cancer and their loved ones.

Share