Free Support Groups for People Affected by Cancer

January 12, 2012

CancerCare offers free support groups for anyone affected by cancer, including people with cancer, their caregivers, friends and loved ones, and the bereaved.

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.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Support for Caregivers of People with Cancer

December 19, 2011

For many caregivers, supporting a loved one going through cancer is a full-time job. Along with providing emotional support, caregivers may be charged with administering treatment or helping to manage side effects. Often, caregivers do all this at the expense of their own health and well-being.

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.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Lung Cancer Walk for Hope Sets Fundraising Record

November 9, 2011

More than 1,100 friends and supporters came together at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course in Woodbury, NY to walk in support of people affected by lung cancer and set a new fundraising record, at CancerCare’s 9th Annual Lung Cancer Walk for Hope on Nov. 6, raising more than $237,000 in support of CancerCare’s free, professional services for people affected by lung cancer.

Lung cancer survivor Phyllis Sobel and her team of fellow survivors, “For Our Heroes,” were honored with the “Anne Koebel Top Fundraiser Award” for raising more than $18,445 in support of our free services.

Team "For Our Heroes"

This year’s Top School Team was Molloy College, made up of 70 Molloy College athletes. Congratulations also to our Top Corporate Team, Team Marks Paneth & Shron, LLP, who raised over $10,000.

Molloy College's Baseball Team

You can still support our walkers through Dec. 31 by making a contribution online at our Walk for Hope site,  www.cancercare.org/lungcancerwalk

View more photos from the Walk on our Facebook page.

To learn more about how we help people affected by lung cancer, visit our lung cancer diagnosis page or www.lungcancer.org.

Thanks very much to this year’s generous sponsors, walkers, volunteers, in-kind donors, vendors, friends, and community partners for making this event such a success. See you next year!

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Breast Cancer Focus of Free Connect Workshops

October 4, 2011

Leading experts in breast cancer treatment will answer your questions this month during three Connect Education Workshops:

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.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

How Has CancerCare Helped You?

August 26, 2011

Jonah was only 28 years old when he was diagnosed with stage-3 melanoma. He immediately started radiation treatment while continuing to work full-time.

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. 

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Free Support Groups for People Affected by Cancer

August 9, 2011

CancerCare’s free support groups allow people affected by cancer to connect with other people in a similar situation all across the country. We offer support groups for patients, caregivers and loved ones, and for those who have lost a loved one.

Support groups are available online, over the telephone, or in-person, and all are moderated by CancerCare’s professional oncology social workers.

Online support groups are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and telephone support groups connect people for regularly scheduled, one-hour sessions. Face-to-face support groups are offered at our offices in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Learn more about CancerCare’s free support groups.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Bone Health Resources for People Affected by Cancer

July 29, 2011

Cancer can affect bone health in many ways. Some cancers such as multiple myeloma begin in the bones, weakening them. Other cancers can metastasize (spread) to the bones. Some cancer treatments can affect bone health as well.

Visit our bone health resource page, www.bonehealthandcancer.org,  to learn about how to care for your bones when you have cancer.

Our free resources on these pages include Connect Education Workshops such as “New Advances in Bone Health for People Living with Cancer” and “Caring for Your Bones When You Have Breast Cancer”, as well as publications such as “Caring for Your Bones When You Have Cancer”.

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

Survivorship Focus of Free Connect Education Workshop on July 12

July 1, 2011

On Tuesday, July 12, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time, CancerCare, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute: Office of Cancer Survivorship and Office of Communications and Education, LIVESTRONG, American Cancer Society, Intercultural Cancer Council, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, will present a free, telephone workshop entitled: Fear of Recurrence and Late Effects: Living With Uncertaintity. 

You can listen to this program on the telephone or via live streaming through the internet.  This workshop is the last of the four-part series, The Ninth Annual Cancer Survivorship Series: Living With, Through and Beyond Cancer.

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

The faculty for the July 12 program includes:

  • Richard Dickens, MSW, Survivor Perspective, Blood Cancers Program Coordinator, Mind/Body/Spirit Project Coordinator, CancerCare
  • Merle H. Mishel, RN, PhD, FAAN, Kenan Professor, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • David Spiegel, MD, Jack, Sam and Lulu Willson Professor in the School of Medicine, Associate Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine

This workshop is free – no phone charges apply.  However, pre-registration is required.  To register, and for more information, simply go to the CancerCare website, www.cancercare.org/connect_workshops.

If you missed Parts I, II or III of the series, they are available as podcasts, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 

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Posted by Kyle Hornyak

New Article Addresses Challenges Faced by Young Adults with Cancer

June 22, 2011

CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller, LCSW addresses the unique challenges faced by young adults with cancer in the latest issue of Oncology Nurse Advisor.

While many young adults are focused on things like education, careers, or dating and starting a family, young adults with cancer may find themselves confronting different concerns, such as where to get the best medical care or how to pay for expensive treatments.

Miller’s article provides tips on how health care professionals can help young adults cope with a cancer diagnosis, and offers valuable resources young adults can turn to for support.

Read the article.

CancerCare provides free, specialized services for young adults affected by cancer, including counseling, support groups, and educational workshops.

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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

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