A Space Where You Can Be Real
Imagine a place where you can share your experiences and feelings with people who truly understand. Where you don’t have to hold back or put on a brave face to protect others who are worried about you or don’t know what it’s really like.
That place exists in Cancer Wellness Center support groups.
Cancer Wellness Center Support Groups
Support Groups for Patients & Survivors
- Women Over 50 (in-person and virtual options) – For women in midlife and beyond processing the cancer experience
- Young Women’s Groups (virtual) – For women in their 30s and 40s navigating cancer while managing careers, relationships, and often raising young children
- Men’s Group (virtual) – For men with cancer to discuss their experience in a space that honors their perspective
- Early-Stage Breast Cancer Support Group (twice-monthly, in-person) – For people with Stage 0-2 breast cancer who are newly diagnosed or within six months post-treatment
- Meaning-Centered Group – Drawing on Dr. Viktor Frankl’s work on finding purpose even in difficult circumstances, explore sources of meaning in life and how cancer impacts that meaning
- Support for Anxiety Group – Patients and caregivers can gain new strategies and resources to assess fears and address anxieties
- Women’s Body Image Group – Addresses body image concerns related to cancer and treatment for women in treatment through five years post-treatment
Support Groups for Caregivers & Loved Ones
- Adult Child Caregiver Group (virtual) – For adults (typically ages 25-50) whose parent has cancer
- Significant Others/Caregivers Group (in-person and virtual options) – Primarily for spouses and partners, but also open to family members supporting someone with cancer
- Spousal Loss Support Group (one year, twice monthly, in-person) – Structured bereavement support for people who have lost a spouse or partner to cancer during their first year of grief
Peer-to-Peer Sharing Groups
If you’re looking for “in the know” practical support, tips, and recommendations for living with a specific diagnosis, a Peer-to-Peer Sharing Group can help. These professionally facilitated monthly drop-in groups are designed for patients and family members to share information with others.
Diagnosis-Specific Peer Groups:
- Brain Tumor Peer Group – 1st Wednesday monthly, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., generously supported by The Team Schladt Foundation (in-person)
- Lung Cancer Peer Group – 1st Wednesday monthly, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., offered in collaboration with Cancer Support Center (virtual)
- Multiple Myeloma Peer Group – 1st Wednesday monthly, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. (virtual)
- Pancreatic Cancer Peer Group – 3rd Thursday monthly, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., offered in collaboration with Cancer Support Center and generously supported by the Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (virtual)
Demographic Groups:
- Men’s Group – 2nd Monday monthly, 2:00-3:00 p.m. (in-person) and 4th Monday monthly, 2:00-3:00 p.m. (virtual)
- Spousal Loss Networking Group (for those 1-5 years post-loss) – 1st Wednesday monthly, 3:00-4:15 p.m. (in-person)
- Pediatric Cancer Meet-Up – Intermittent Saturday mornings throughout the year (in-person social gathering with organized activities). Read more about our specialized support for children and families.
Support Groups Calendar
What Makes Our Support Groups Different
Cancer Wellness Center support groups are a bit different than what you might expect because they’re professionally created and led with your needs in mind.
Commitment to a Shared Cause Over Time
When joining a Cancer Wellness Center support group, you’ll enter a shared space where members are committed to each other through regular attendance and open sharing. By meeting over time, you can go deeper into honest conversations about both the practical challenges of cancer and the range of emotions that accompanies it.
A Clear Purpose: Sharing Experiences & Feelings
The goal isn’t to fix, rescue, or advise each other, but to create a space to authentically share what’s true for you and to support each other through the rough patches.
Facilitation by Clinical Staff to Help Everyone Feel Safe & Heard
While many other support groups are volunteer-led, ours are facilitated by licensed mental health professionals trained in helping people impacted by cancer. These clinicians can guide discussions, ensure emotional safety, and help you explore difficult subjects as a group.
How to Join a Cancer Wellness Center Group
To get started, you just need to have a brief phone conversation to select a group that fits your needs and get answers to any questions. If you’re not sure what kind of group to join, that’s okay; our skilled intake coordinator can gather information and help you decide.
You don’t have to feel like you’re alone any longer. Let us help you find a community of people who understand what you’re experiencing and want to hear your stories, struggles, and triumphs.
To enroll in a support group at Cancer Wellness Center,
please call (847) 562-5981 to complete a brief intake interview.