CancerCare Social Workers Share Expertise on Coping with Cancer at AOSW’s Annual Conference

May 13, 2011

Several of CancerCare’s professional oncology social workers shared their clinical expertise with social workers from around the country during last weekend’s Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO, May 4-6. 

Erin Columbus, LMSW spoke about effectively moderating support groups in an online environment.

Nicole DiMartino, MSW offered solutions for managing and coping with the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis in adolescents.

Richard R. Dickens, LCSW-R spoke about the cancer experience in older adults, and how relaxation and mind/body techniques can help people cope with the emotional and physical challenges of cancer and treatment side effects.

Carolyn Messner, DSW presented on global health issues and how to improve the sharing of knowledge and expertise with colleagues at home and abroad.

Kristy Case, LMSW presented on the importance of post-treatment care for breast cancer survivors.

“For many people, the emotional impact and stress of a cancer diagnosis doesn’t end once they’ve finished with their treatment,” noted Case.  “It’s important for patients and their families to work with their health care team before their treatment ends to ensure that their emotional and practical needs are addressed and to create a smoother transition into post-treatment.”

CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller, LCSW wrote about the importance of post-treatment care in a recent issue of Oncology Nurse Advisor magazine.  Read the article.

Upcoming CancerCare Connect® Education Workshops will address issues for patients and caregivers following the end of treatment, as part of its 9th Annual Series on Cancer Survivorship, featuring cancer experts from around the country in a live one-hour conference that can be listened to over the telephone or via live stream from CancerCare‘s website.

The next workshop, Stress Management for Caregivers: Taking Care of Yourself Physically and Emotionally, will take place Tuesday, June 14. Pre-registration for these free workshops is required.  To register, and to learn more, visit www.cancercare.org/connect.

CancerCare offers specialized services for post-treatment survivors and their loved ones, including support groups, counseling, and free publications. Learn more.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

NY Academy of Sciences to Host Free Seminar for Breast Cancer Patients in NYC, May 14

May 10, 2011

Coinciding with Women’s Health Awarenesss Week (May 8-14), The New York Academy of Sciences will hold a free educational event on Saturday, May 14 in New York City for people affected by breast cancer and their loved ones.

The half-day event, from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm ET at the New York Academy of Sciences in lower Manhattan, will include interactive panel discussions where leading experts in the treatment of breast cancer will answer the audience’s questions. Also featured are keynote speakers, oncologist Dr. Francis P. Arena, MD and art historian Tanya Manuali Bastianich, co-authors of Reflections of the Breast: Breast Cancer in Art through the Ages (2010, Ibooks, Inc.). Learn more and register.

Learn more about CancerCare‘s specialized, free services for women, caregivers, and family members affected by breast cancer and gynecological cancers.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

New Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer

May 3, 2011

This past Friday’s Connect Education Workshop, What’s New in Metastatic Prostate Cancer, coincided with the FDA’s approval of a new treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

Zytiga, a pill that decreases the production of a hormone that stimulates cancer cells to grow, prolonged the lives of men with late-stage prostate cancer who had received prior treatments and had few available therapeutic options. Listen to the workshop.

Learn more about Zytiga.

CancerCare offers free support services for people affected by prostate cancer, including an online support group for men affected by cancer. We are also recruiting participants for a face-to-face men’s cancers support group. Register and learn more about CancerCare’s free support groups.

Men who are affected by prostate cancer may also be eligible to receive up to $5,000 per year in co-payment assistance through the CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation. Learn more.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

New Publications are Available, Free of Charge

April 26, 2011

CancerCare recently added eight new publications to its reading room of Connect booklets and fact sheets, all of which can be ordered free of charge from our online order form:

Three of these new publications are in Spanish:

Stay up-to-date on new publications by signing up for CancerCare E-News, CancerCare‘s free monthly email newsletter.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

New Treatment for Metastatic Melanoma is First to Prolong Lives

April 1, 2011

Experts in the treatment of melanoma answered listeners’ questions this week during CancerCare’s free Connect Education Workshop, Metastatic Melanoma Treatment Update.  Melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, is one of the fastest growing cancers worldwide.

The workshop coincided with the FDA’s approval of “breakthrough” drug Yervoy, the first drug shown to prolong the lives of people with metastatic melanoma.  Listen to the workshop.

Yervoy’s manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, is expected to present studies on its effectiveness at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, to be held June 4-8 in Chicago, IL.  

Yervoy is an immunotherapy drug that harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight tumors. A recent New York Times article about the development of Yervoy described how it works by “essentially disabling a break on the immune system.”

CancerCare’s offers free, professional services for people affected by melanoma. The Melanoma Helpline, a partnership between CancerCare and the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF), is staffed by professional oncology social workers who provide free telephone counseling and reliable information about resources and ways to cope with melanoma. Call The Melanoma Helpline at 877-MRF-6460 (877-673-6460).

Teb’s Troops, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for people affected by melanoma, will hold its annual 5K in Chicago, IL on Sunday, July 24. Teb’s Troops provides a generous grant from funds raised at this event to support CancerCare’s free, professional services for anyone facing melanoma. Visit Teb’s Troops’ Facebook page to learn more.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

New Multiple Myeloma Fact Sheets are Available

February 10, 2011

Three new CancerCare fact sheets are available for people coping with multiple myeloma.

Coping with Multiple Myeloma offers tips for managing multiple myeloma so that patients can feel more in control of their diagnosis.

Multiple Myeloma: Finding Resources and Support provides information on local and national resources that are available for people coping with multiple myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma: Making the Most of Medical Appointments explores ways to improve communication with your health care team.

These fact sheets can be ordered free of charge from CancerCare’s online order form. Our newest Connect® Booklet, Advances in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma, is also available to order through the form.

Learn more about CancerCare’s resources for people coping with multiple myeloma, including our “Door to Door” program that provides individual grants of up to $600 annually to multiple myeloma patients for covering transportation costs such as gasoline, parking and tolls, and taxi, bus or train fare to and from their medical care.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Year in Review: The Most Promising Treatment Advances of 2010

January 3, 2011

CancerCare’s newest Connect® Booklet, Your Guide to the Latest Cancer Research and Treatments, highlights the year’s most exciting treatment updates on a number of different cancers. The information was presented by leading experts at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Some of the year’s most promising findings included:

Melanoma: For the first time ever, a new drug extended the lives of people whose melanoma no longer responds to other treatments and has spread beyond the skin to other parts of the body. (Learn more about CancerCare‘s free support services for people affected by melanoma).

Lung Cancer: Researchers reported that older patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer can be safely and effectively treated with more aggressive chemotherapy. Researchers also reported that supportive care not only improves the quality of life for people with metastatic lung cancer, but also extends their lives. (Visit www.lungcancer.org to learn about CancerCare‘s free resources for people diagnosed with lung cancer and their loved ones).

Blood and Lymph Cancers: For the first time, drugs such as lenalidomide (Revlimid) can be used not only to treat newly diagnosed or relapsed myeloma, but also as therapies to keep myeloma from coming back after successful first-time treatment. (CancerCare provides individual transportation grants to people with multiple myeloma through our “Door to Door” program, along with a wide range of additional free support services).

Head and Neck Cancer: Researchers discovered that testing a patient’s human papillomavirus (HPV) status helps doctors craft more effective treatments for the patient. (CancerCare helps people affected by head and neck cancer and their loved ones through free support services including counseling, support groups, education, financial assistance, and referrals to other resources).

Read the entire booklet online, or order free copies from our website.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Promising Blood Cancer Treatments Presented at Annual ASH Conference

December 6, 2010

At the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) held this past weekend in Orlando, FL, researchers discussed promising new treatment options for multiple myeloma and several forms of lymphoma and leukemia, as well as the importance of stem cell transplantation.

Leading experts will present information from the conference and answer questions live during two upcoming CancerCare Connect Education Workshops:

  •  Update on Lymphoma Treatment on December 15, 2010
  •  The Latest Developments in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) on January 13, 2011

Register for a workshop.

Lean more about CancerCare’s free, professional support services for people affected by leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

New Online Resource Provides Help for People with Blood Cancers

November 2, 2010

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has launched a new online resource for people affected by blood cancers, especially those who are exploring or have undergone blood or marrow transplantation. 

ExploreBMT is a comprehensive, easy-to-search website that provides information about treatment options, financial assistance and insurance issues, and referrals to organizations that provide physical and emotional support from diagnosis to survivorship.

Visit www.explorebmt.org to learn more.

CancerCare offers free, professional support services for people affected by leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Free Support Available for Ovarian Cancer and Prostate Cancer Patients

September 2, 2010

September is both Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

CancerCare partnered with L’Oreal Paris and Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) to create a free telephone counseling and referral service for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. 

Launched one year ago, The L’Oreal Paris OCRF Hopeline has proven to be a great source of support for many women facing an ovarian cancer diagnosis. The Hopeline is staffed by professional oncology social workers and operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

Call the L’Oréal Paris OCRF Hope Line at 877-OV-HOPE-1 (877-684-6731).

CancerCare responded to the needs of men facing prostate cancer by publishing two new fact sheets: Caring for Your Bones When You Have Prostate Cancer and Prostate Cancer: What You Should Know About Screening and Diagnosis. 

For more resources on these cancers, including additional publications, support groups and archived connect education workshops, visit the diagnoses pages on our website.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

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