People with cancer and their families sometimes need assistance
coping with the emotional as well as the practical aspects of their
disease. This fact sheet includes some of the national organizations
that provide this type of support. It is not intended to be a comprehensive
listing of all organizations that offer these services in the United
States, nor does inclusion of any particular organization imply
endorsement by the NCI, the NIH, or the Department of Health and
Human Services. The intent of this fact sheet is to provide information
useful to individuals on a national level. For that reason, it does
not include the many local groups that offer valuable assistance
to patients and their families in individual states or cities.
American Cancer Society (ACS) Supported Programs:
- Cancer Survivors Network (http://www.acscsn.org/)
This is both a telephone and Web-based service for cancer survivors,
their families, caregivers, and friends. The telephone component (1-877-333-HOPE)
provides survivors and families access to pre-recorded discussions.
The Web-based component offers live online chat sessions, virtual
support groups, pre-recorded talk shows, and personal stories.
- I Can Cope
I Can Cope is a patient education program that is designed to help
patients, families, and friends cope with the day-to-day issues of
living with cancer.
- Look Good. . .Feel Better (http://www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org/)
This program was developed by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance
Association Foundation in cooperation with ACS and the National Cosmetology
Association. It focuses on techniques that can help people undergoing
cancer treatment improve their appearance.
- Reach to Recovery
The Reach to Recovery Program is a rehabilitation program for women
who have or have had breast cancer. The program helps breast cancer
patients meet the physical, emotional, and cosmetic needs related
to their disease and its treatment.
American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)
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The AICR provides information about cancer prevention, particularly
through diet and nutrition. They offer a toll-free nutrition hotline
and funding of research grants. The AICR also has a wide array of consumer
and health professional brochures, plus health aids about diet and nutrition
and their link to cancer and cancer prevention. The AICR also offers
the AICR CancerResource, an information and resource program for cancer
patients. A limited selection of Spanish-language publications is available.
Cancer Care, Inc.
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Cancer Care is a national nonprofit agency that offers free support,
information, financial assistance, and practical help to people with
cancer and their loved ones. Services are provided by oncology social
workers and are available in person, over the telephone, and through
the agency's Web site. Cancer Care's reach also extends to professionals-providing
education, information, and assistance. A section of the Cancer Care
Web site and some publications are available in Spanish, and staff can
respond to calls and e-mails in Spanish.
Cancer Hope Network
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The Cancer Hope Network provides individual support to cancer patients
and their families by matching them with trained volunteers who have
undergone and recovered from a similar cancer experience. Such matches
are based on the type and stage of cancer, treatments used, side effects
experienced, and other factors.
Cancer Research Foundation of America
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The Cancer Research Foundation of America seeks to prevent cancer by
funding research and providing educational materials on early detection
and nutrition.
ENCOREPlus®
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Internet Web site:
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YWCA of the USA
Office of Women's Health Advocacy
Suite 700
1015 18th Street, NW.
Washington, DC 20036
202-467-0801
1-800-953-7587 (1-800-95E-PLUS)
cgould@ywca.org
http://www.ywca.org/ |
ENCOREPlus is the YWCA's discussion and exercise program for women
who have had breast cancer surgery. It is designed to help restore physical
strength and emotional well-being. A local branch of the YWCA, listed
in the telephone directory, can provide more information about ENCOREPlus.
FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered)
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FORCE is a nonprofit organization for women who are at high risk of
getting these cancers due to their family history and genetic status,
and for members of families in which a BRCA mutation may be present.
FORCE's goals are:
- To provide women with resources to determine whether they are at
high risk for breast and ovarian cancer due to genetic predisposition,
family history, or other factors.
- To provide information about options for managing and living with
these risk factors.
- To provide support for women as they pursue these options.
- To provide support for families facing these risks.
- To represent the concerns and interests of our high-risk constituency
to the cancer advocacy community, the scientific and medical community,
the legislative community, and the general public.
Gilda's Club® Worldwide
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Gilda's Club Worldwide works with communities to start and maintain
local Gilda's Clubs, which provide social and emotional support to cancer
patients, their families, and friends. Lectures, workshops, support
and networking groups, special events, and children's programs are available.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC)
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The LBBC is an educational organization which aims to empower women
with breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality
of life. The LBBC offers an interactive message board and information
about upcoming conferences and teleconferences on its Web site. In addition,
the organization has a toll-free Survivors' Helpline, a Young Survivors
Network for women diagnosed with breast cancer who are age 45 or younger,
and outreach programs for medically underserved communities. The LBBC
also offers a quarterly educational newsletter and a book for African
American women living with breast cancer.
National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO)
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NABCO is a nonprofit organization that provides information about breast
cancer and acts as an advocate for the legislative concerns of breast
cancer patients and survivors. NABCO maintains a list, organized by
state, of phone numbers for support groups.
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
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The NCCS is a network of groups and individuals that offer support
to cancer survivors and their loved ones. It provides information and
resources on cancer support, advocacy, and quality of life issues. A
section of the NCCS Web site and a limited selection of publications
are available in Spanish.
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC)
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The NOCC raises awareness about ovarian cancer and promotes education
about this disease. They have a toll-free telephone number for information,
referral, support, and education about ovarian cancer. They also offer
support groups, a database of gynecologic oncologists searchable by
state, and educational materials. A limited selection of Spanish-language
publications is available.
National Patient Travel Center (NPTC)
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The NPTC provides the National Patient Travel Helpline, a telephone
service, which facilitates patient access to charitable medical air
transportation resources in the United States. The NPTC also offers
information about discounted airline ticket programs for patients and
patient escorts, operates Special-Lift and Child-Lift programs, and
brings ambulatory outpatients to the United States from many overseas
locations.
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA)
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The Alliance works to increase public and professional understanding
of ovarian cancer and to advocate for research to determine more effective
ways to diagnose, treat, and cure this disease. The Alliance distributes
informational materials; sponsors an annual advocacy conference for
survivors and families; advocates on the issues of cancer to the ovarian
cancer community; and works with women's groups, seniors, and health
professionals to increase awareness of ovarian cancer.
Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)
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The PAF provides education, legal counseling, and referrals to cancer
patients and survivors concerning managed care, insurance, financial
issues, job discrimination, and debt crisis matters.
Sisters Network®, Inc.
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Sisters Network seeks to increase local and national attention to the
impact that breast cancer has in the African-American community. All
chapters are run by breast cancer survivors and receive volunteer assistance
from community leaders and associate members. The services provided
by Sisters Network include individual/group support, community education,
advocacy, and research. The national headquarters serves as a resource
and referral base for survivors, clinical trials, and private/government
agencies. Teleconferences are held to update chapters with the latest
information and share new ideas. An educational brochure designed for
underserved women is available. In addition, a national African-American
breast cancer survivors' newsletter is distributed to survivors, medical
facilities, government agencies, organizations, and churches nationwide.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
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The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's mission is to eradicate
breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by advancing research, education,
screening, and treatment. This organization operates a national toll-free
breast cancer helpline (1-800-I'M AWARE®) that is answered by trained
volunteers whose lives have been personally touched by breast cancer.
Breast health and breast cancer materials, including pamphlets, brochures,
booklets, posters, videos, CD-ROMs, fact sheets, and community outreach
materials are available. Staff can respond to calls in Spanish, and
some publications are available in Spanish.
Vital Options® International TeleSupport® Cancer Network
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The mission of Vital Options is to use communications technology to
reach people dealing with cancer. This organization holds a weekly syndicated
call-in cancer radio talk show called "The Group Room®,"
which provides a forum for patients, long-term survivors, family members,
physicians, and therapists to discuss cancer issues. Listeners can participate
in the show during its broadcast every Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
eastern time by calling the toll-free telephone number. A live Web simulcast
of "The Group Room" can be heard by logging onto the Vital
Options Web site.
The Wellness Community
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The Wellness Community provides free psychological and emotional support
to cancer patients and their families. They offer support groups facilitated
by licensed therapists, stress reduction and cancer education workshops,
nutrition guidance, exercise sessions, and social events.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, Inc.
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The Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization provides information and
support to anyone who has been touched by breast cancer. Y-ME serves
women with breast cancer and their families through their national hotline
(available 24 hours a day), open-door groups, early detection workshops,
and support programs. Numerous local chapter offices are located throughout
the United States. A section of the Y-ME Web site, a toll-free hotline,
and publications are available in Spanish.
Criteria for inclusion of organizations in this fact sheet
The national, nonprofit organizations included in this fact sheet,
like NCI, provide services and/or information to cancer patients and
their families. They also affirm the importance of scientific research
and investigations of new approaches to cancer detection, treatment,
and prevention.
