A Note from the Executive Director: Summer Ends |
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Whether we like it or not, summer always comes to an end, and it’s fairly dependable
in the Pacific Northwest. Leaves are already falling, and a chill fills the crisp late night/early morning air.
To underscore that point, our new Fall Catalog is out. I hope you’ve had a chance
to look at all the amazing programs we have scheduled for the last four months of 2023.
It is impressive! I’m always especially proud of the great work our program team does to create, schedule, and help deliver over 800 individual meetings of classes and support groups each year. This term is no exception. We have several of our favorites scheduled including Nutrition for Bone Health, Aromatherapy for Sleep, Qigong & Breathing Practices for Better Health just to name a few. To access all of our offerings, click here.
The majority of our programs continue to be available online, as opposed to in person. We continue to navigate COVID with the greatest care for the most vulnerable in our community, people living with and supporting those with cancer. Creating a safe space whether it is online or in person is our priority, and for now, the risks still outweigh the gains, so we continue on as is. We will respond to those we serve first and foremost, not an abstract notion that “everything is back to normal”. I mean, what does ‘normal’ even mean for those with cancer? We continue to take our guidance from those with years of experience in the medical field.
Still, we will have several in person programs coming up this Fall. We are excited to host one of our favorite workshops again that can only be done in person, The Beneficial Sounds with Gongs scheduled on Nov 4 from 1-2:30pm. Add to that, Yoga & Creativity for Caregivers & a new Writing Series will also be taking place at the Dorothy O’Brien Center. We’ll be capping attendance and requiring masks for all in-person attendees, so register early!
The Fall season also kicks off our fall fundraising activities with our annual Resources for Hope event being the pinnacle. This important fundraising event raises monies exclusively for our Patient Financial Assistance Fund (PFAF). The PFAF provides emergency safety-net cash grants to lower income cancer patients who are struggling, and often having to make critical decisions between continuing their cancer treatments (and copays and other associated costs) or paying for some of life’s most basic needs such as groceries, keeping the utilities and rent paid, childcare, or just gas for their car to get to and from treatment. Last year Cancer Lifeline awarded over $460,000 to over 1,000 cancer patients and despite these amazing numbers and the awesome growth of this program in recent years, we are still falling short. If you’d like to help us, please register and attend Resources for Hope on Saturday, Oct 7. Held at the Escala Condominiums, this will be a cocktail party with heavy appetizers, cocktails, an outstanding jazz vocalist (Nicole Walters) sharing her talents and Bernie Griffin who will be this year’s MC and will lead us through a raise the paddle to raise funds for the PFAF. We’ll also have some cool raffle prizes and for those that want to stay a bit late, there will be dancing to the tunes of DJ Nick. Here’s the link to register-but please hurry, registration closes soon!
If you can’t attend but would like to help by contributing a donation to this important fund, you can click here to donate:
If you would like to join our merry band of do-gooders and help us with our post-event email campaign by becoming a Fundraising Champion, please reach out to Deserie our Development Manager, at deserie@cancerlifeline.org
Until next time, I hope you’ll take some time to get out and enjoy the warmer temps and sunshine while you still can!
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Monthly Blog: Menopause & Cancer
by Susan J. Baumgaertel, MD
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Just at a time in women’s lives when hormone changes are already causing challenging symptoms, adding cancer into the mix can seem daunting, to say the least. Natural menopause is defined as 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period and is the beginning of post menopause. For those who have had their ovaries surgically removed or have had treatment-related effects on hormone production (such as from chemotherapy), menopause often happens abruptly. In either scenario, and often long before, many symptoms can become obtrusive to the point of interfering with daily life. An important consideration is the impact that menopause has on cancer risk. Hormones aside, the natural aging process, combined with lifestyle choices, will contribute more to cancer risk than most familial patterns, with some genetic exceptions. Read More
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Read Between the Lines Art Show at Cancer Lifeline |
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We all masked up and welcomed a crowd of over 50 guests back to our home office at the Dorothy O’Brien Center for the art show opening, Read Between the Lines on August 17. This wonderful show is a tradition of sorts at Cancer Lifeline. Poems and short prose from the individuals that participate in our various creative expression programs were collected. Volunteering members of the Northwest Collage Society each take one of the writings and create a visual interpretation of the work in the collage format. It becomes a truly special event when the writers get to see the visual interpretation of their piece and meet the collage artists for the first time. We shared wine and snacks and lots of laughter and hugs. Thank you to all the writers and artists for sharing your work with us. And special thanks to Basha Brownstein and Peggy Sturdivant for all their work coordinating the process. If you haven’t seen the show, we hope you can stop by the Center soon.
Viewing Hours: Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 AM - 2 PM through November 9, 2023
Artwork will be available for sale through the Northwest Collage Society. 10% of each sale will be donated to Cancer Lifeline.
In consideration of our immune compromised clients, we ask that you wear a mask while visiting the center. Here is a sneak-peak at some of the collages you'll see.
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"A Piece of the Puzzle"
by Colleen Monette
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"Things Bigger Than Me"
by Karen Pauley
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You're invited to Resources for Hope Oct 7th |
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You're invited to Cancer Lifeline's 11th annual Resources for Hope fundraiser on Saturday, October 7, 2023, 7-9:30 PM at The Escala in downtown Seattle.
Join us for a cocktail party fundraiser to celebrate Cancer Lifeline’s 50th anniversary and raise vital funds to support financially challenged cancer patients who are having to decide between life-saving health care and meeting life’s most basic necessities.
Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and a special musical performance by Nicole Walters. Get ready to raise your paddle with MC Bernie Griffin! End the evening with dancing to DJ Nick.
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Meet Board President Annie Zilius |
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We sat down with Annie to learn more about her and what she hopes to achieve as our incoming Board President.
What are you most excited about doing during your time as Board President?
Heading into 2024, I’m most looking forward to collaborating closely with the Board to define the strategic focus areas and organizational enablers needed for the organization to continue to grow and serve the needs of our community.
What do you see as the biggest needs cancer patients and caregivers have?
There’s no doubt many patients and caregivers navigating a cancer diagnosis have a high level of unmet needs, especially in terms of psychological and financial support. In the past few years, Cancer Lifeline has seen 100% growth in both utilization of its free mental health counseling services and in the number of individuals receiving awards from the Patient Financial Assistance Fund, one of Cancer Lifeline’s key safety net programs.
What do you find most fulfilling about serving on the Board of Directors?
Our Board of Directors is made of an incredibly talented and committed group of leaders. We have individuals working full time or navigating challenging schedules, many directly in cancer patient care, research or administration, and yet they dedicate time to Cancer Lifeline because of a deep belief in the mission and the good this organization is doing in our community. I feel fortunate to have an opportunity to meet, learn from, and collaborate with such an inspiring group of individuals.
You work full-time with Huron Consulting, tell us about your “day job”.
I am a Managing Director with Huron Consulting Group, a consulting company based in Chicago, and have been with my company going on 19 years. I lead Huron Healthcare’s Medical Group, Ambulatory, Access to Care, Digital Consumer, and Physician Enterprise Teams and really enjoy partnering with healthcare systems and pediatric hospitals across the country on their financial and operational performance improvement efforts. In any given week, you may find me in Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Florida, Texas, Colorado, or California meeting with clients and teams.
Please share something about yourself that you’d like us to know.
Much like Cancer Lifeline’s Executive Director, Joseph Yurgevich, I love animals and can often be found feeding the birds and squirrels in my neighborhood peanuts during evening walks (perhaps to the chagrin of some of my neighbors). Spotted Towhees, Steller's Jays, and Crows are a few of my favorite birds. And despite having lived in Seattle for over seven years now, it still feels special to get to see the occasional Bald Eagle flying around above West Seattle.
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Cancer Lifeline Support Groups & Classes |
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All classes and support groups are FREE for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Check out our website for online access instructions and current program listings.
Here is a selection of featured upcoming programs:
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All classes and support groups are FREE for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
Click here for a downloadable pdf of our current catalog.
Check out our website for access instructions and current program listings.
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Sept 30th Pediatric Moving Beyond Cancer to Wellness |
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The Pediatric Moving Beyond Cancer to Wellness event takes place Sept 30th for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, friends and family. This free conference is recommended for cancer survivors aged 12 and older and parents of cancer survivors of all ages. It is designed to provide general education on a variety of the late and long-term effects faced by young cancer survivors after treatment is completed and to help promote wellness and empowerment after cancer. Complimentary light continental breakfast & lunch will be provided. The event will feature breakout sessions, a survivor panel discussion, and opportunities for networking. Learn more and Register
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Sponsor Spotlight: Seagen |
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We welcome Seagen as our newest sponsor. They've been focusing on accelerating breakthroughs to transform cancer care and impact in patients lives for 25 years. We appreciate their support and passion for helping those living with cancer.
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Our Sponsors Make It Possible
Cancer Lifeline is grateful for the leadership and support of the following sponsors:
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Cancer Lifeline thanks myMDadvocate and Dr. Susan Baumgaertel for her ongoing support. myMDadvocate is a virtual consultation service serving patients as an advocate, guide, advisor, coach, resource, consultant, collaborator, educator, navigator, and partner.
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We are grateful & thank Jeannie & Bruce, one of Cancer Lifeline's long-time supporters for their ongoing support and sponsorship.
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We are grateful for the support of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center organization on so many levels - for our current Board Directors who are on the staff at Fred Hutch: Joanna Diallo, and Reetu Ghumman, and for their sponsorship!
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We began our formal hospital partnership with Overlake Medical Center in September of 2017, but our relationship reaches back to 2004 when Cancer Lifeline had office space in Bellevue. We are grateful for Overlake's ongoing support of our events.
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We appreciate Multicare who have been caring for Pacific Northwest communities since 1882. They are dedicated to providing vital health and wellness services to individuals and families from all walks of life.
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One of Cancer Lifeline's hospital partners, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has locations in both downtown Seattle and Federal Way. Cancer Lifeline is grateful for Virginia Mason's sponsorship of our events.
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Over 18 years ago, Cancer Lifeline was invited to host a support group at EvergreenHealth. That was just the beginning of our strong partnership. Cancer Lifeline thanks Evergreen for their continued support.
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Freestone Capital, an independent wealth and advisory firm, returns this year as an event sponsor. Our thanks to Cancer Lifeline Board Director and Treasurer Bobby Gentry.
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The Commerce Bank of Washington has enriched local businesses with highly personalized banking from local, experienced bankers dedicated to long-term relationships. We are grateful for the ongoing partnership which began in 1995.
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Mercer joins Cancer Lifeline again year as a 2023 sponsor thanks to the stewardship of Board Director Elizabeth Zech.
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Cancer Lifeline thanks wealth advisor, D A Davidson as an event sponsor. Our thanks to Advisory Board Member Jane Caron for her leadership.
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As we expand our services to serve cancer patients and their families in Pierce County, Cancer Lifeline is grateful for our collaboration with Northwest Medical Specialties and for their support.
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We have counted on ROI Technology Inc. to keep us safe, secure, and active on the internet since 2015. Cancer Lifeline salutes ROI Technology for their ongoing support of our events.
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Thank you to Seattle Children’s for their support! They provide patient care, advance new discoveries and treatments through pediatric research and they serve as the pediatric and adolescent academic medical center for Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho – the largest region of any children’s hospital in the country.
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Dedicated to promoting the economic benefits of life science business and research for Washington state's economy and patients around the world, We Work for Health seeks to educate our elected leaders, the news media, and the communities they serve about these key contributions. Cancer Lifeline welcomes We Work for Health Washington back as a sponsor.
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(formerly Cornerstone Advisors) has been a steadfast sponsor of Cancer Lifeline's events.
Our thanks to for their continued support
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On the recommendation of our board member Sue Drummond, we thank Michael Weichbrodt with Morgan Stanley as one of Cancer Lifeline's sponsors.
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We thank Genentech as one of our sponsors. While this biotechnology corporation is committed to advancing science for the greater good, they are also committed to supporting our local cancer community.
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Thank you to Marshall & Sullivan for their ongoing support. By taking a hands-on approach to wealth management, Marshall & Sullivan are committed to helping their clients experience peace of mind around their financial futures.
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Thank you to our 2023 sponsor Eli Lilly. Led by their core values of Integrity, Excellence, and Respect for People, Eli Lilly unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. Our thanks to Advisory Board Member Nate Miles for bringing us together.
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Cancer Lifeline thanks Windermere Foundation for their support. Windermere Foundations commitment to building thriving communities has helped them grow into one of the largest and most respected real estate brands in the country, with more than 300 offices and 7,000 agents throughout the Western U.S. and Mexico.
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A huge thank you to Safeco Liberty Mutual Insurance for their support. Since 1923, they have been in the business of protecting families and individuals, making it simple to protect what matters to you most.
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For the sixth year in a row, Jennifer Evans and her Farmers Insurance agency have been a sponsor of our annual Fall Fundraiser, Resources for Hope. We are so grateful for Jen's ongoing support.
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One Dog Media helps businesses with website design that reinforce brand identity, e-commerce solutions, graphic design and more. We thank Lisa Oliver, in-kind sponsor, for this important work that allows us to reach and stay connected with the people we serve.
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Inquiries regarding opportunities to sponsor events and programs can be directed
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