Highlights from our 65th Year
Brandon
Brandon first came to CancerCare in 2008 after his father passed away suddenly after being diagnosed with leukemia. Brandon met with a CancerCare social worker in our Kids' program, which helps thousands of children and their families cope with the illness or loss of a parent or sibling to cancer. Brandon's grief affected his schoolwork, and he was having trouble controlling his anger. After several months of counseling and taking part in group activities with other kids who knew just how he felt, Brandon began to smile again. His grades improved, he stopped picking fights as a way to express his sadness and anger, and he left CancerCare with more positive ways to cope. A year later, Brandon returned to CancerCare to brush up on his coping skills with his social worker, CancerCare for Kids Program Coordinator Julia Little.
Sammy Blassberg
"I won't – I will never be helpless again." Reading from her personal diary, CancerCare 2009 Partnerships in Hope honoree Sammy Blassberg (pictured, right, with CancerCare social worker Kristy Case) shared her personal cancer experience with more than 375 CancerCare supporters at our 26th annual awards dinner in New York City, honoring the individuals and institutions that help support CancerCare's mission. Sammy, who lives in Southern California, turned to CancerCare in 2008 after being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
She received one-on-one counseling over the telephone with a CancerCare social worker, and financial support that helped her get to and from her treatments. Blassberg, who lost several family members to the disease, described some of the hardships and triumphs she experienced during and after her cancer treatment. Through it all, CancerCare, she noted, was there by her side – "a partner in hope. Now, I can FINALLY see the days might be filled with beauty and light."
The Valerie Rosa Fund
When Valerie Rosa was faced with a cancer diagnosis, her family turned to CancerCare for support. Through the help of a CancerCare social worker, Valerie and her family received assistance for nursing care and for a car service to take her to and from medical appointments, as well as helpful information and support when they needed it – making a difficult time in their lives a little easier.
"The organization made a difference in taking away some of the stress and worry that my family and I endured during the last few months of my sister's life," says Mary Morales, Valerie's sister. In her memory, the family established the Valerie Rosa Fund, which over the last 10 years has raised more than $11,000 to support CancerCare's free, professional counseling for anyone facing a cancer diagnosis.
"We hope that others can benefit from CancerCare's invaluable programs and services," says Mary (pictured, center, with Valerie Rosa's daughter, Melissa, and sister Leslie).
In honor of Valerie Rosa and her family's commitment, CancerCare named Mary Morales our 2009 Donor of the Year.
Our Volunteers
Robert Clay (left) and Evelyn Lane (right) are long-time volunteers at CancerCare's national office in New York City. Their dedication exemplifies the dozens of individuals of all backgrounds and ages who lend their time, energy and talents to keep CancerCare's day-to-day operations and services running smoothly. For over 16 years, Mr. Clay, a retired EMT technician and ambulance driver, has assisted CancerCare's education department with mailings and other clerical projects. Ms. Lane volunteers her time as an ACES (Advocacy, Counseling and Entitlement Services) volunteer each Wednesday in our office, assisting callers who are applying for emergency Medicaid.
Connect Education Workshops
CancerCare's Connect Education Workshops feature oncology experts from across the country and cover a variety of cancer-related topics. Last year, more than 38,000 people listened to one or more of the 44 workshops we offered, ranging from how to cope with side effects to the latest advances in treatment. Carolyn Messner (pictured), CancerCare director of education and training, introduced the first workshop in 1988 as a live teleconference, available to anyone with a telephone. Today, you can still listen to our workshops just by phoning in. And, new in the last year, you can also listen to them streamed live over the CancerCare website, and as podcasts that can be played anytime on an MP3 player.
Women's Cancers Program
Laura Mosiello (left) coordinates our national Women's Cancers Program, which provides an array of specialized services to clients like Dolores W. (right), who benefited from our wig and prosthesis clinics, one of many in-person workshops and clinics CancerCare offers free of charge throughout the year at its locations in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. More than 21,000 women received free, professional support services from our Women's Cancers oncology social workers in 2009 including telephone and in-person counseling, financial assistance, and participation in educational workshops and support groups.
Help and Hope: Just a Phone Call Away
Every week, an average of 1,500 people call CancerCare's toll-free help line, 1-800-813-HOPE (4673). Each caller will speak directly to a professional oncology social worker, like Jacqueline Socastro (pictured), one of more than 60 full-time professionals who help access CancerCare's array of free support services, from our informative publications and educational workshops to financial assistance and resources available in his or her own community. In fiscal year 2009, CancerCare provided direct services to more than 116,000 people in all 50 states and 92% of all U.S. counties.
Our Clients Giving Back
Cancer survivor and CancerCare volunteer, Julia Alamo, with her grandson, Devin, came to CancerCare in 2003, after being diagnosed with breast cancer. "My social worker, Vilmarie Rodriguez, was so helpful with answering my all of questions, and the friends I made through breast cancer support groups really showed me that I wasn't alone," says Julia. "I'm still in treatment, but I try to come in at least once a month to help organize the wig and prosthesis closets. After all that CancerCare has done to support me, I feel so privileged to be able to give back."