RESOURCES

Overview
Patient and Caregiver Resources
Financial Resources
Financial Considerations
Case Management
Patient Matching Service
Finding Caregivers and Counselors
Talking With Your Kids
Talking With Your Employer
Writing Therapy
Maximizing Insurance
Organizing Your Paperwork
Patient Advocate Interview
Predicting Recurrence
Reconstructive Surgery
Self Advocacy
Talking to Your Pharmacist

Patient and Caregiver Resources

Below is a list of additional resources that may assist you with your cancer journey. The sites listed here have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness.

Anal Cancer

Appendix Cancer

Bile Duct Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Blood Cancer

Brain Tumors

Breast Cancer


FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

Mission:
To improve the lives of individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Description:
FORCE was founded on the principle that no one should have to face hereditary breast and ovarian cancer alone. We are the only national non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
Mothers Supporting Daughters with Breast Cancer (MSDBC)
25235 Fox Chase Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620
(410) 778-1982

Special Services:
A national non-profit organization providing support to mothers whose daughters have breast cancer. Free educational materials tailored to mothers and daughters about breast cancer treatment and constructive ways for mothers to provide support are included. Mothers are “matched” with mother volunteers across the country based on the daughter’s clinical profile, age at diagnosis and anticipated treatment.

Cancer Education

Carcinoid Tumor

Caregivers & Support

4th Angel Patient & Caregiver Mentoring Program
(866) 520-3197

The 4th Angel Mentoring Program is a survivorship program launched by The Scott Hamilton CARES Initiative that provides free and confidential telephone or e-mail support to cancer patients and their caregivers. Trained mentors, who are cancer survivors themselves or have been a caregiver to a cancer patient, offer guidance and support. The program ensures that participants are paired (matched) based on similar characteristics including gender, age, cancer diagnosis, and treatment type. Opportunities are also available for cancer survivors and their caregivers to volunteer as mentors. Please visit 4thangel.ccf.org or call 866-520-3197

Resource page: 4thangel.org
  • Cactus Cancer Society: cactuscancer.org

    •  

    CanCare
    (888) 461-0028

    CanCare connects patients and their loved ones to someone who has experienced the same or similar type of cancer. Support is provided by cancer survivors and caregivers who have dedicated themselves to using personal experience to provide hope, support, guidance and resources to others. They know the challenges of fighting cancer and strive to help others who are diagnosed. Service is free of charge and for all cancer types. CanCare is a nonprofit organization that has been supporting people with cancer for more than 25 years.

    “Support from a CanCare volunteer is beneficial because it ‘shortens the learning curve’ in so many ways, which reduces a huge amount of stress for the patient and their family.” - Jacquelyn M. Carrier, CanCare volunteer and stage 3b melanoma survivor
    Friend for Life Cancer Support Network
    4003 Kresge Way, Suite 100, Louisville, Kentucky 40207
    (866) 374-3634

    Mission:
    To help persons recently diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones navigate the path through diagnosis, treatment and recovery by pairing them with a trained survivor of a similar experience so they can face cancer with someone who's been there.

    Patient Tools:

    -Persons diagnosed with cancer and caregivers receive one on one support by phone/e-mail by a trained peer navigator who has survived the same type of cancer and similar course of treatment.

    -Speakers’ bureau for meetings in Louisville, KY area

    -Refer to other cancer resources when necessary

    MyLifeLine
    1355 South Colorado Blvd Building C-601, Denver CO 80222
    888-793-9355

    MyLifeLine encourages cancer patients and caregivers to create free, customized websites. Our mission is to empower patients to build an online support community of family and friends to foster connection, inspiration, and healing. The personal websites allow the patient to communicate easily and receive the help they need during and beyond cancer treatment.

    Patient Tools: See an example of a personal website www.mylifeline.org/testsite/
    Connecting Updates- Blog about your experience
    Inspiring Messages- Receive messages from friends and family
    Helping Calendar- Post help needed with meals, rides, visiting hours, etc.
    Giving Angels- Create a financial assistance page
    Learning Link – Educate your support network on your cancer
    Laughing Medicine- Funny jokes and books to lighten the mood
    Photo Gallery- Post pictures

    Cervical Cancer

    Chemotherapy

    Childhood Cancer

    Clinical Trials

    Colorectal Cancer

    Communication Support


    CaringBridge
    2750 Blue Water Road, Suite 275
    Eagan, MN 55121
    651.452.7940 :: main
    651.789.2300 :: customer care

    If you or someone you know is in a cancer journey, use CaringBridge to easily communicate and stay connected.

    CaringBridge provides free websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier. CaringBridge websites offer a personal and private space to communicate and show support, saving time and energy when health matters most.

    Each site includes a place to post health updates and photos as well as a guestbook for visitors to leave messages of support. A personal CaringBridge website brings family and friends together online, surrounding a patient and their caregiver with love, hope and compassion. Learn more at www.CaringBridge.org.

    Complementary Programs & Alternative Medicine

    Touch, Caring and Cancer
    3986 N Shasta Loop
    Eugene, OR 97405
    541.632.3502

    One of the most comforting forms of support you can offer a loved one with cancer is the use of touch.

    Developed with support from the National Cancer Institute, The Touch, Caring and Cancer program provides inspiring and authoritative video instruction in safe and simple techniques that anyone can learn and apply. Available in English, Spanish and Chinese versions. Learn more at www.partnersinhealing.net.

     

    Directories to Resources

    Drug Research Updates

    Early Detection 

    Elderly

    Esophageal Cancer

    Ethnic & Religious

    Fertility & Cancer

    Financial Assistance

    Gastrointestinal Cancer

    Gynecologic Cancer

    Head & Neck Cancer

    Hospice & Home Care

    Immunotherapy

    Kidney Cancer

    Laryngeal Cancer

    Leukemia & Lymphoma

    Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation
    PO Box 374, Birmingham, MI 48012-0374
    (248) 644-9014

    The Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation is an independent, non-profit patient advocacy organization dedicated to supporting every person with cutaneous lymphoma by promoting awareness and education, advancing patient care and facilitating research.

    We invite you to support our important work by designating donations you make to the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #12294) and the United Way (UW #042972) to the Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation. Thank you in advance for your support! For more information on the many ways you can become involved and support our life-changing mission, please visit www.clfoundation.org/.
    Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
    3 International Drive, Suite 200, Rye Brook, New York 10573
    Information Resource Center (IRC): (800) 955-4572

    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma research and providing patient education and financial and support services. LLS has free patient education and support booklets in English and Spanish. Contact our master's level Information Specialists for up-to-date information and support, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET at (800) 955-4572 or email infocenter@LLS.org. Information Specialists help patients work with their doctors to find out about specific clinical trials. You can also use TrialCheck®, an online clinical trial search service supported by LLS that offers patients and caregivers immediate access to listings of blood cancer clinical trials.
    The National CML Society
    130 Inverness Plaza #307, Birmingham, Alabama 35242
    (877) 431-2573

    The National CML Society (NCMLS) is a non-profit organization created by Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) patients and caregivers in the United States - people just like you who have experienced the news of a CML diagnosis. Through our initiatives, we provide opportunities to learn about CML, participate in ground-based support communities (CML Connection™), interface with leading CML specialists (Ask the CML Experts™), foster research, and celebrate life!

    Our Ask the CML Experts™ Portal allows patients, caregivers, and medical professionals to submit their unique questions and have them reviewed by the nation's leading specialists treating CML.

    Let us help you get your bearings and chart a course for the future.

     

    Patients Against Lymphoma
    3774 Buckwampum Road, Reigelsville, PA 18077
    (610) 346-8419

    We provide online support forums (including on Facebook), and a comprehensive resource on lymphoma: www.Lymphomation.org. Our content is determined by patient questions. Our research objective is make consideration of clinical trials routine, in order to accelerate progress against lymphomas.

     

    Liver Cancer

    Lung Cancer

    Caring Ambassadors Lung Cancer Program
    P.O.Box 1748
    Oregon City, Oregon 97045
    (503) 632-9032

    Mission:
    The Caring Ambassadors Lung Cancer Program, mission is to help improve the lives of those affected by lung cancer through advocacy, information, and support. We hope to provide this information so that patients and their loved ones can make informed decisions about their lung cancer treatment options and supportive care.

    Lymphedema

    Melanoma & Other Skin Cancers

    Mental Health Services

    • American Psychosocial Oncology Society Helpline: 866-276-7443

    Multiple Myeloma

    Myelodysplastic Syndrome & Aplastic Anemia

    The Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, Inc.
    4573 South Broad St., Ste. 150, Yardville, NJ 08620
    (800) MDS (637)-0839

    Special Services:
    The MDS Foundation is an international organization devoted to patient support, research, treatment, and education in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The Foundation is based on the premise that international cooperation will accelerate the process leading to the control and cure of MDS. The Foundation, through our current network of 152 Centers of Excellence worldwide, provides referrals for patients, disseminates information on research and treatments, provides educational programs for patients, caregivers, physicians, nurses and health care providers, and supplies funding/oversight for international studies in MDS.

    Nutrition

    Oral Cancer

    Ovarian Cancer

    Pain Management

    Pancreatic Cancer

    Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research
    2990 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 300C, Los Angeles, CA 90064
    (310) 473-5121

    Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing pancreatic cancer research, and providing information, resources and support to pancreatic cancer patients and their families.
    Lustgarten Foundation
    Toll free: (866) 789-1000

    The nation’s largest private supporter of pancreatic cancer research, The Lustgarten Foundation is dedicated to advancing the science and providing patients, caregivers and health care professionals with free, accurate information. Thanks to Cablevision Systems Corporation’s commitment to underwrite all of The Foundation’s administrative expenses, 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to pancreatic cancer research.

    Patient Tools

    Recognizing the unique challenges faced by individuals with pancreatic cancer, The Lustgarten Foundation provides comprehensive education materials free by request. Bulk orders are also available at no cost to health care professionals. Materials include:

    Patient Advocacy

    Pediatric Brain Tumors

    Prostate Cancer

    Prostate Network
    2007 W. 86th Street
    Leawood, KS 66206
    913.485.1892

    Men who have, or have had, prostate cancer give valuable support to others through their involvement with the Prostate Cancer Networking Group. Just as men have received support from this group, they can in turn offer other patients and their families patience, strength, and endurance through their experiences with diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

    Radiation Oncology

    Rare Cancers

    Research

    Sarcoma

    Sarcoma Alliance
    775 East Blithedale, #334, Mill Valley, CA 94941
    (451) 381-7236

    The Sarcoma Alliance provides guidance, education and support to everyone affected by all types of sarcoma. We have a website providing diagnosis and treatment information including links to other sarcoma organizations. We have a bulletin board, a chat room, a peer to peer program and provide grants for getting second opinions.

    Stomach Cancer

    Stopping Tobacco Use

    Survivorship

    Testicular Cancer

    Thyroid Cancer

    ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc.

    Description:
    ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., a national nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization advised by thyroid cancer specialists, educates and supports patients and families through its web site, support groups, person-to-person support, free patient information packets, free newsletters, free Low-Iodine Cookbook, workshops, and conferences. ThyCa sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, plus thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants. E- mail thyca@thyca.org, phone (877) 588-7904, fax (630) 604-6078, write ThyCa, PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, Web site: www.thyca.org

    Free Online Tools from ThyCa:

    Free Low-Iodine Cookbook
    English: www.thyca.org/Cookbook.pdf
    Spanish: www.thyca.org/CookbookEsp.pdf

    Free Newsletter: www.thyca.org/guestbook.htm

    Information for People Newly Diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer: www.thyca.org/newly_diagnosed.htm

    Free Patient Information Packet: www.thyca.org/support/guestbook

    Awareness Materials: www.thyca.org/awareness.htm

    Free Publications: www.thyca.org/downloads.htm

    Veterans' Assistance

    Women’s Health

    Young Adults