About Cancer Wellness Center
If you have cancer or are caring for someone experiencing cancer, you’ve come to the right place. Find evidence-based programs and services crafted by oncology experts and tailored to you. All of our services are offered free of charge thanks to the generosity of our donors.
Our Vision
We envision cancer care in which psychosocial support is as vital and accessible as medical treatment.
Our Mission
Cancer Wellness Center helps individuals and their loved ones navigate a cancer diagnosis through whole-person care, expert guidance, and a welcoming community.
Our Core Values
Compassion
We approach every person with empathy, kindness, and respect. We listen deeply, support wholeheartedly, and guide individuals and families with compassion and professional expertise.
Excellence
We strive for the highest standards in everything we do, from the quality of our care and programming to the professionalism of our team. Continuous improvement and evidence-based practices guide our work.
Integrity
We act with honesty, accountability, and strong ethical principles in all that we do. Our decisions and actions reflect our commitment to doing what is right for those we serve, our partners, and our community.
Inclusiveness
We welcome and honor the diverse experiences, identities, and needs of every individual. Our services are designed to be accessible and affirming for all, ensuring that every individual receives the guidance and support needed to navigate cancer.
Collaboration
We believe in the power of working together – within our team and with our community and partners. By sharing knowledge, resources, and ideas, we create stronger programs and deliver more impactful support for those affected by cancer.
Our Strategic Plan
View our strategic plan to see how we will expand awareness and access to psychosocial support, ensuring that patients and their loved ones can benefit from these programs throughout the cancer experience and beyond.
Our Services
Professional Counseling
Work with empathetic and caring licensed clinical practitioners to navigate the complicated emotions of living with cancer. We have a 13-member clinical staff team who can work with you one-on-one, as a couple or family, and if you are newly diagnosed.
Support Groups
Our support groups are designed to meet you where you are, with in-person, online, and hybrid options. Our groups are run by licensed clinical professionals to create a safe environment where you can share openly about your experiences. Find the right group for your needs.
Nutrition
Learning what to eat—including when treatment makes eating difficult—can be overwhelming. Our board-certified oncology dietitian offers evidence-based nutritional guidance through one-on-one consultations, workshops, and a newsletter with tips and recipes.
Fitness & Wellness
Living with cancer causes physical and emotional stress. Our expertly-crafted classes connect your mind and body to reduce stress and increase energy. Access classes based on your needs: in-person, online, hybrid, or on demand. You can also get tips and updates on the latest research in our newsletter.
Social Programs
It’s easy to lose yourself when cancer is in the picture. Gathering to have fun and connect with others who understand what you’re going through can be reassuring. Join our bi-weekly writing lab, knitting connection group, learn the soothing effects of Zentangle drawing, or play canasta or mahjong－and more!
Children & Families
We understand that a cancer diagnosis affects the whole family. Our Children & Families programs help parents, children, and adolescents navigate the complex emotions that come with experiencing cancer, and our on-staff certified Child Life Specialist is uniquely trained to work with children and adolescents.
Workshops & Lectures
Stay informed through educational workshops and talks designed for people living with cancer and their caregivers. Gain access to proven, science-based techniques and understand new research and scientific developments.
Why Cancer Wellness Center?
A Community Who Gets You
Cancer Wellness Center is a warm and welcoming place made even more special by our participant community: diverse, compassionate people who understand what it means to live with cancer every day.
Expert Clinical Staff
Our team of professionally licensed counselors offers expert, hands-on guidance as you manage the uncertainties of cancer and navigate whatever comes next, from diagnosis to bereavement and beyond.
Programming Built for Your Needs
Cancer changes the lives of everyone it touches. Led by professional staff, our robust programming is designed for people with cancer, kids and families, caregivers, survivors, and more, giving you and your loved ones coping strategies and tools for every step.
Always Free
Our donors and community partners make it possible for Cancer Wellness Center to deliver services free of charge, removing any barriers between you and the guidance you deserve.
Accessible to Anyone, Anywhere
Cancer knows no boundaries. If you need support, Cancer Wellness Center welcomes you, regardless of your language, physical location, or relationship with a cancer patient.
History
Determined to build a reliable source of information and support for cancer survivors and others living with cancer, three friends founded Cancer Wellness Center in 1989. The Center started in a small donated space in Skokie, Illinois and later moved to its present location in Northbrook. Founders Patsy Winicour and Judy Brannon, RN, began with a telephone hotline and three support groups – the first of their kind in the state.
Today the Center has grown and expanded its services to provide evidence-based education, wellness services, and psychosocial support to those affected by cancer and their loved ones.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Cancer Wellness Center acknowledges and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals, and we believe in treating all people with respect and dignity.
We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as an integral part of our day-to-day engagement with each other, our participants, their families and caregivers, and the broader community we serve.
We strive to embody this commitment through the following actions:
- Acknowledging and dismantling any internal inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services, and continually updating and reporting internal organizational progress.
- Identifying and addressing barriers to wellness that block access for people affected by cancer in historically marginalized communities within our area of service.
- Committing time and resources to include more diverse leadership within our board and staff.
- Establishing annual goals and training to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our organization.
Our Location
The donor-funded Cancer Wellness Center facility is a warm, welcoming space for you to access our professional counseling services and to learn and connect with others who are going through similar experiences. In addition to our many virtual and hybrid program options, our interior space is where you’ll gather for in-person counseling sessions, support groups, workshops, and social events. Outside you will find a beautiful and meaningful memorial garden and healing labyrinth, also funded through the generosity of our donors.
While most programs and services take place virtually and at our main Northbrook location, we also offer some counseling sessions at Josselyn Center in Waukegan and classes at Waukegan Public Library and Advocate Lutheran General Cancer Survivorship Center in Park Ridge.