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Cancer Support Programs

Support Programs through WCRC include individual support, and other programs such as Caring Hands Touch, Kindred Spirits, Kettle of Soup-port, Spiritual Direction, Woman to Woman, Sisters in Harmony and Support Groups. Follow the links or scroll down for descriptions of these programs. For more details or for information on in-person counseling, internet cancer information searches, and community resource referrals, please contact the center at 612-822-4846 or toll free at 1-877-892-6742. Below the description of WCRC Support Groups are links to other cancer support groups in Minnesota and nationwide.

WCRC Support Programs

Individual Support
One to one sessions to assist women with understanding their diagnosis, explore their choices, and map out a plan for taking charge of their cancer experience. Call ahead to schedule or drop in during WCRC office hours.

Caring Hands Touch
This service offers 6 sessions of massage, or other bodywork, to clients with cancer.  Professional practitioners donate their time for this program .  For more information go to our Caring Hands Touch description page. If you are interested in this service, please contact the center at 612-822-4846 or toll free at 1-877-892-6742.

Kindred Spirits
A service which matches clients with a volunteer support person who has experienced a similar cancer.  If you are interested in this service, please contact the center at 612-822-4846 or toll free at 1-877-892-6742.

Kettle of Soup-port
Need help with nutrition and food planning during cancer treatment? WCRC's Kettle of Soup-port volunteer is not a licensed nutritionist but has studied nutrition extensively and worked with a nutritionist during her own cancer experience. She can provide a one to one session to determine your food needs, education regarding nutritious food choices, help setting up a network of friends and family to assist with food needs, and one "starter" meal preparation session.
WCRC also produced a booklet with specific nurtrition and eating tips for people with cancer. For information on the program or booklet, please contact the center at 612-822-4846 or toll free at 1-877-892-6742.

Spiritual Direction
Spritual direction is a meeting with a trained person around issues of meaning, purpose, and deeper inquiry into our souls. The spiritual director listens, and follows the lead. She is a witness to a person's life, especially after a cancer diagnosis when so many beliefs and questions come to the surface. She struggles with the person to find grounding again in her body, mind, soul and relationships which all may have undergone a change. For one-on-one appointments with a spiritual director, please contact the center at 612-822-4846 or toll free at 1-877-892-6742.

Sisters in Harmony, Gifts of Health Coalition
This program is designed to assist African American women experiencing cancer in navigating community resources.  The concept behind this coalition is to provide service to these women that approach the entirety of their needs.  Rather than in the old model where a woman had to go from agency to agency to have needs met, a staff member at each of the partnering agencies will help identify the client’s needs and work with partnering agencies to assist in meeting these needs.  The coalition is composed of six (6) community agencies and health advocates  - African American Breast Cancer Alliance (AABCA), African American Family Services (AAFS), American Cancer Society, Moore Board and Lodge (MB&L), Southside Community Health Service (SCHS), and the Women's Cancer Resource Center (WCRC).  For further information about this program, please contact the Women's Cancer Resource Center at 612-822-4846.

Woman to Woman
This program is designed to provide culturally specific information for women of color who have cancer.  We offer healthcare resources, one to one support, and referrals for the African American. Laotian, and Latina communities.   If you would like more information about this program, please contact WCRC at 612-822-4846 or toll free at 1-877-892-6742. 

 
WCRC Support Groups

Standing With You -- Affirming Your Life
Current research confirms the importance of support for those struggling with cancer. To supplement the comfort family and friends provide, the Women's Cancer Resource Center provides a variety of support groups, listed below.

Treatment Choices Group
Open to all women with any type of cancer at any stage. Get support and information to help you make your own choices about cancer treatment, participate in discussions and presentations about a wide variety of complementary and alternative treatments. Ongoing group, join at any time.  Meets the first and third Mondays of each month from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at WCRC.  Click here to see our calendar for the next meeting time.

Caregivers Group
Respite, resources and recognition for men and women who share the care of family members or friends living with cancer. Ongoing group, join at any time.  Meets first and third Thursdays of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at WCRC. 

Lesbian Cancer Group
Open to all lesbians with any type of cancer at any stage. This group provides a setting for lesbian cancer survivors to receive sensitive and understanding support. We are currently taking names to determine interest in this group.

Young Women's Group
Open to women between the ages of 18 and 35 who have experienced any type of cancer.  We are currently taking names to determine interest in this group.

Ovarian Cancer Group
In collaboration with the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, this group is open to women with ovarian cancer at any stage. Group is ongoing, meets second and fourth Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at WCRC. 

Breast Cancer Support Group for African American Women
This free group is fun, helpful and led by ladies who have been there and are open-minded, uplifting and understanding. Meets the third Saturday of every month from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Sponsored by the African American Breast Cancer Alliance. For information, call Reona Berry at 612-825-3675.

The Connection
A free social group for young cancer survivors (18 to 40). Meets on the fourth Sunday of each month for various activities: museums, spa treatments, dance lessons, tours, movies, volunteer projects, dinners, and more. For details of current activities, contact WCRC. 

For more information about dates, times and locations of all WCRC support groups, please contact the Women's Cancer Resource Center at 612-822-4846 or 1-877-892-6742, or by e-mail at wcrc@wcrcmn.org. For information about upcoming events, including guest speakers and/or special topics for support groups, please check our calendar.

Other Support Groups

National Programs

American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery
American Cancer Society's I Can Cope
American Cancer Society's Look Good, Feel Better
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Asian Women's Health Organization
National Latina Health Organization
National Lymphedema Network
National Y-Me
 
Minnesota-Based Programs

Abbott Northwestern Hospital
African-American Breast Cancer Alliance of Minnesota
American Cancer Society Navigator
Fairview University Medical Center
Health East Oncology Services
Hennepin County Medical Center
Hubert H. Humphrey Cancer Center
Office of Indian Ministry Cancer Survivors Support Groups
Renewing Life^TM
Cancer Resource Center, Mercy & Unity Hospitals
Women Striving, Women Surviving
Encore Plus
Cancer Survivor's Retreat, Women in Nature, North Memorial
Women Supporting Women
Foundation HealthSystem Support Groups
Moving Ahead
 

National Programs

Reach to Recovery, American Cancer Society  telephone 800-ACS-2345
Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer need not face the experience alone. Reach to Recovery volunteers, who are breast cancer survivors themselves, are specially trained in providing one-on-one contacts with women to listen and share information, and provide support during the entire breast cancer journey.

I Can Cope, American Cancer Society   telephone 800-ACS-2345
With local organizations and/or healthcare facilities, ACS provides these life skills sessions, designed to support the cancer journey in many communities. Classes focus on the cancer diagnosis, treatment and side effects, emotions, pain control, sexuality, self-image, nutrition, exercise, money management, and community resources. This program is lead by health professionals.

Look Good, Feel Better, American Cancer Society - telephone 800-ACS-2345
A free, national public service program brought to you in partnership by the American Cancer Society, the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association Foundation, and the National Cosmetology Association. Specially trained volunteer cosmetologists conduct group sessions or one-on-one salon visits to teach women how to cope with some of the physical side effects caused by their cancer treatments.

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, telephone 301-650-8868
This grassroots group provides some local support groups.

National Asian Women's Health Organization, telephone 415-989-9747 Reproductive Health Focus

National Latina Health Organization, telephone 510-534-1362             Reproductive Health Focus

National Lymphedema Network, telephone 800-541-1362  

National Y-Me, telephone 800-221-2141    www.y-me.org                        Breast Cancer Focus

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Minnesota-Based Programs

Abbott Northwestern Hospital, telephone 612-863-4633
Support groups for brain tumors, prostate cancer, breast cancer, Reach to Recovery, hysterectomy and grief. Life Choices in Healing programs in the arts, humanities and complementary therapies.

African-American Breast Cancer Alliance of Minnesota, telephone             612-825-3675
Support groups and advocacy. P.O. Box 8981, Minneapolis, MN 55408 or call the American Cancer Society, 1-800-227-2345, for the "Being There!" brochure and video.

American Cancer Society Navigator, telephone 800-ACS-2345
Patients and their caregivers are put in touch with specially trained staff. A basic, individualized assessment is made and a plan established to help the individual navigate through referrals to American Cancer Society programs and/or community resources. Navigators are located in select healthcare facilities and local American Cancer Society offices throughout the division.

Fairview Healthwise, telephone 612-672-7272
Information about support groups for breast cancer, brain tumors, bone marrow transplants, child and sibling, grief, head and neck, lymphedema and Reach to Recovery offered through Fairview.

Health East Cancer Care phone line, telephone 651-232-2273
Information about support and education programs include counseling, massage, cancer education and support groups.

Hennepin County Medical Center, telephone 612-347-2121
Reach to Recovery and cancer support groups.

Office of Indian Ministry Cancer Survivors Support Groups, telephone     612-824-7606
Rides provided. Call the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Renewing Life^TM
A series of nine sessions utilizing support groups and educational programs. At various locations in Minnesota, including Mercy Hospital and Unity Hospital, 612-780-6621; Pathways, 612-822-9061; and Women's Cancer Resource Center, 612-822-4846.

Cancer Resource Center, Mercy & Unity Hospitals, Oncology Services, telephone 763-236-4040
They have ongoing support groups for general cancer and breast cancer. Groups meet regularly through the year and welcome participants at any time

Women Striving, Women Surviving, telephone 651-220-8328
A support group for women with gynecological cancer held at United Hospital in St. Paul.

Encore Plus, telephone 612-332-0501
A breast cancer support group held at the Minneapolis YWCA.

Cancer Survivor's Retreat, Women in Nature, North Memorial, telephone 612-520-1213
This event is co-sponsored by North Memorial Hospital's Cancer Center. Participate in winter and summer outdoor activities with women who share your experience.

Women Supporting Women, telephone 612-544-0315
A support group for women with gynecological cancer.

Foundation HealthSystem Support Groups, telephone 612-993-5700
The Foundation HealthSystem of Minnesota.provides support groups at Methodist Hospital to meet a variety of needs. Groups geared to breast cancer, caregivers, children, Renewing Life, Spirituality and Cancer, and specific support groups for bone marrow transplant, brain tumor, breast cancer, Hodgkins disease, Reach to Recovery and family support groups.

Moving Ahead, telephone 651-697-3333
For women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Located at Piper Breast Center in Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

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You may be able to locate additional resources through:

• The social work department of your hospital.
  
• Patient Information Services or Patient Advocate at your hospital.
  
• National resources, such as the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society's Cancer Response System, 800-ACS-2345, and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship 301-585-2616.
  
• Your local newspaper's community pages.
  
• Places of worship often have support groups.
• Your oncologist's office.

For more information, please contact the Women's Cancer Resource Center at 612-822-4846 or 1-877-892-6742, or by e-mail at wcrc@wcrcmn.org.

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