A cancer diagnosis can bring many difficult emotions, including fear, anxiety, and a feeling of isolation. Support groups connect you with others in a similar situation who may relate to what you are experiencing.

We offer diagnosis-specific support groups, such as a group for people affected by colorectal cancer, as well as specialized support groups, including groups for men with cancer, young adults with cancer, and parents of children with cancer.

CancerCare’s support groups are led by professional oncology social workers, and are available online, over the telephone, and face-to-face in our offices in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut. To learn more about CancerCare‘s telephone and face-to-face support groups or to register, call 800‑813‑HOPE (4673).

Online support groups are password-protected, and members must go through a registration process. After completing the registration process, members can participate 24 hours, 7 days a week. New online support groups will be offered starting February 1.

View all of CancerCare’s free support groups.

CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller, LCSW writes about the importance of supporting caregivers of people with cancer in the latest issue of Oncology Nurse Advisor. The article provides tips on how oncology nurses can help caregivers of people with cancer receive emotional and practical support.

Read the article.

CancerCare helps anyone affected by cancer, and offers specialized services for caregivers, including online, telephone, and face-to-face support groups—completely free of charge.

Learn more about how we help caregivers of people with cancer.

• “Caring for Your Bones When You Have Breast Cancer” on Friday, October 7
• “Progress in the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer” on Thursday, October 13
• “Current Perspectives on Early Stage Breast Cancer” on Friday, October 28

Listen in live by telephone or online. These workshops will also be available as podcasts.

Like all of CancerCare’s services, our Connect Education Workshops are completely free of charge — no phone charges apply. However, pre-registration is required.

Learn more about our free, professional support services for people coping with breast cancer.

The United States is the most diverse country in the world, which can present a challenge to the health care professional. Miller’s article offers tips on how oncology nurses can provide the most effective care to each patient, regardless of his or her background, culture, race, ethnicity, and beliefs.

Read the article.

CancerCare’s professional oncology social workers help anyone affected by cancer—completely free of charge.

Learn more about how we help.

But when the melanoma recurred and he began chemotherapy, “the psychological burden of my treatment became too much to bear [and] I simply couldn’t manage,” says Jonah. That’s when he found CancerCare.

“My counselor at CancerCare helped me gather the pieces of my life and start to reassemble them.”

Today, more than three years later, Jonah continues to manage his diagnosis with support from his friends and family, as well as the support he receives from his oncology social worker at CancerCare. His is one of the many inspirational stories we hear from people every day at CancerCare.

“The way I see it, dealing with cancer is like navigating whitewater rapids,” says Ann, another CancerCare client who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma seven years ago. She sought out CancerCare to help deal with her feelings of loneliness and isolation.

“When you have someone to share it with, you’re in a canoe. No matter what it’s like, you face it together. When you do it alone, you’re in a kayak. Yes, your friends may be running along the shore, waving from time to time, but sink or swim, you’re out there on your own.”

Today, Ann serves as a mentor to others who have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma thanks to the support she found through CancerCare.

Read more about our inspiring clients in CancerCare’s “Stories of Help & Hope.”

How has CancerCare helped you better cope with a cancer diagnosis? We’d like to hear from you.

Tell us your story and inspire others. 

Support groups connect people in similar situations and provide an environment in which they can share their feelings and build a community of support.

CancerCare‘s online support groups enable individual participants to communicate via a password-protected message board that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each support group is active for a 14-week period and each is moderated by a professional oncology social worker, who provides guidance, resources and reliable information to the participants.

CancerCare currently offers 25 different support groups online. Each is targeted to a specific population, such as people undergoing treatment for cancer, cancer survivors, caregivers and the bereaved.  Groups now recruiting include:

• Triple negative breast cancer patients
• Caregivers of loved ones with lung cancer
• Men with cancer
• Young adult caregivers of spouses and partners

 All support groups are completely free of charge, but registration is required.  Learn more.

Celebrated actress and longtime CancerCare advocate S. Epatha Merkerson will host this year’s dinner. Merkerson is best known for her role as NYPD Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the long-running NBC drama series, “Law & Order.” Merkerson’s character faced a cancer diagnosis in the drama’s final season, which aired last year.

The series, which focused almost exclusively on solving the case at hand, offered occasional glimpses of its characters’ personal challenges, like this scene in which Lt. Van Buren is at her desk reviewing her employer-provided health plan: 

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Merkerson talks about her love of the show:

Merkerson was lauded for her starring role in the 2005 television movie, “Lackawanna Blues,” for which she won a Best Actress Golden Globe, and Emmy and Image Awards. A critically acclaimed stage and film actress, she is also a two-time Tony Award nominee, most recently for her lead role in the 2008 Broadway revival, “Come Back Little Sheba.”

Merkerson will be sharing the stage at CancerCare’s “Partnerships in Hope” dinner, now in its 28^th year, with CancerCare client William Reader, of New York City, who will share his personal story of caregiving for his life partner, Lester, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away in 2009 from the disease. 

The evening will also honor The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, which generously supports CancerCare’s financial assistance program for pancreatic cancer patients and their families. Eli Lilly and Company and Morphotek, Inc.  will also be honored for their support of CancerCare‘s free educational workshops and publications.

Learn more about the “Partnerships in Hope” Awards dinner.

Michelle has served as caregiver to her parents, both cancer survivors, for the past 11 years. Along with providing physical and practical support, Michelle also supported her parents emotionally after the loss of her uncle from pancreatic cancer. Both Michelle and her mother received free counseling from CancerCare. 

Michelle, an avid runner, recently ran in the New York City Marathon in the guise of superhero CaptainCare, and is slated in run in two more upcoming races. So far, she has raised more than $2,000 in support of our free services. Visit Michelle’s blog for updates on her progress.

Make a donation on Michelle’s Team CancerCare donation page to help her reach her goal of $5,000. You can also add the name of a loved one you’d like Michelle to run for, or post a supportive message.

CancerCare offers a number of free support services for caregivers including individual counseling and support groups. We encourage you to browse our reading room and read about caregiving topics such as:

• How to care for a person who is coping with cancer
• Tips for coping and caregiving during holidays and special occasions
• What you can say to a newly diagnosed loved one

Learn more about CaptainCare in her latest video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWcvxl9CVno

Support CaptainCare and ask her to run in honor of someone you love who’s been affected by cancer at www.captaincare.org

CaptainCare aims to raise a minimum of $5,000 from individual contributions and will donate all proceeds to help CancerCare continue providing its free, professional services to anyone affected by cancer.

CaptainCare was motivated to become a runner after several of her family members and friends were diagnosed with cancer. You can read about her inspiring personal story of caregiving and her commitment to CancerCare on her blog (where she also reveals her true identity). 

During the Marathon, CaptainCare will carry a scroll bearing the names of individuals in whose honor or memory she is running. If you would like CaptainCare to run for you or a loved one who has been affected by cancer, visit CaptainCare‘s fundraising headquarters (www.captaincare.org), make a donation and help support a true superhero! You can also become a fan of CaptainCare on Facebook and follow her on Twitter, @captaincare.

Want to be your own CancerCare superhero? It’s easy–just host a Team CancerCare fundraising event in your own community. Get friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors involved in raising funds to support our free, professional services for anyone affected by cancer. Host a run/walk, bake sale, musical performance, or anything else you can imagine!

To learn more, visit Team CancerCare.