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. You can also download a copy of our current class catalog here.
Here is a selection of featured upcoming programs:
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Register Today for All Classes & Support Groups |
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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A Note From the Executive Director |
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The big 50 anniversary has been a wonderful opportunity to look back at the amazing impact Cancer Lifeline has had on our community over the years. I hope you will take a moment and check out our website where we are sharing information about this special milestone.
For today, I’m going to look back at the past year to share some significant highlights from Cancer Lifeline as we prepare to launch our annual Fundraising with Friends campaign.
In the last few years, we have been experiencing phenomenal growth in participation of already well-attended programming. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, we provided over 15,000 points of services when the majority of our services were available in-person. In 2022, the third year of the pandemic, in which the majority of our services were available online we provided over 23,000 points of service. We grew our supportive reach 52% in three years!
In those same three years, Cancer Lifeline rolled out new methods of support. We’ve maintained our core programming like the Lifeline, the Lifeline chat, dozens of unique support groups and hundreds of experiential classes, but we have kept our ears to the ground and have once again responded to the needs of our community by introducing no cost mental health counseling for patients and their families who are un or underinsured.
In 2021 we launched a pilot program to deliver up to 12-sessions of free mental health counseling and enlisted the support of counselors and therapists to serve 55 individuals. In 2022 we were able to expand our ranks of counselors and therapists, taking special care to include people of color so patients could more easily connect. Again, our efforts were successful and we more than doubled the number of patients we served by helping 118 individuals. 29% of all patients served self-identified as BIPOC.
As we launch into our annual Fundraising with Friends online & email campaign, we are focusing our request to you, the community. We hope you will help us continue to grow this important mental health program and help us sustain the other emotional support programs like our Lifeline, Lifeline Chat and incredible support groups. We can’t do what we do without YOU.
With Love & Gratitude,
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Joseph Yurgevich
Executive Director
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Join us Online Now: Fundraising with Friends March 30th- April 30th |
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Since 1973, Cancer Lifeline has been there to help anyone affected by cancer. For 50 years we have supported the emotional needs of cancer patients and their loved ones via our free Lifeline, cancer-specific support groups, family meetings, and counseling.
Today we need your support as we kick off our annual online giving campaign, Fundraising with Friends . We need your help to raise vital funds to ensure our programs remain free and available to anyone in need.
In this short video, you'll learn how Cancer Lifeline personalizes support for each client and how connecting with people who "get it" makes a difference.
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A gift of $150 provides one counseling session to help support the mental health of patients, survivors, and caregivers living with cancer.
A gift of $300 provides Lifeline assistance for 20 callers seeking cancer information, resources, and emotional support.
A gift of $500 funds three support group meetings for Black, Indigenous, and people of color facing cancer.
With your support we can ensure that Cancer Lifeline’s services remain free and available to anyone in need for another 50 years!
With Gratitude,
Cancer Lifeline Clients, Staff, Board of Directors, & Volunteers
"It’s all about quality of life because no matter where someone is on their cancer journey, they are important, they matter and there is something that we can do as an organization to help them." - Meghan Wilkins Melanson, Cancer Lifeline Program Director
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BIPOC Cancer Community & Mental Health |
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Mental Health…you hear a lot about it these days. People are talking about the importance of it and are encouraging the masses to tend to their mental health. People are even beginning to talk more about and educate others on the unique barriers to optimal mental healthcare and adequate mental health services. Most of us have experienced life changing events in the last 3 years, be it COVID-19, loss of a loved one, cancer or other new medical diagnosis, changes in family, layoffs or unemployment, workplace stressors, the list goes on. While these things have always been part of the human experience, one cannot understate the current impact of the accumulated effects that many are experiencing. Read more.
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Trenecsia Wilson, MAEd LMHCA CDPT NCC |
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Welcome to our New Lifeline Volunteers |
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At the beginning of March, we welcomed 4 new Lifeline Volunteers to the team! They just wrapped up the 3-day Active Listening Training online via Zoom. Each of these new volunteers come to Cancer Lifeline eager to provide emotional support and engage with our clients through our telephone Lifeline, online Lifeline Chat and other community outreach opportunities. Whether you need someone to talk to or to learn more about the Lifeline, including hours, click here.
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Get the Support you Need at our
Young Adult & BIPOC Support Groups
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People who identify as members of black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) and are living with or have a loved one living with cancer are invited to join this monthly support group. In addition to connecting to other members of BIPOC communities, the support group will enjoy speakers and presentations relevant to members of BIPOC communities living with cancer. The support group facilitator also identifies as BIPOC. Meets the 4th Saturday of the month from 11am-1pm.
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Are you a young adult (ages 20 to 40) living with a cancer diagnosis? Come meet, talk and form friendships with other young adults who are also living with cancer at our Support Group that meets twice per month. Through educational speakers and open discussion, you will gain tools to better manage your cancer experience, and be with others who simply, "Get it". Family and friends welcome! Meets the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month from 11am-1pm Register Here
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Sponsor Spotlight: myMDadvocate |
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Thank you to myMDadvocate for the ongoing support of Cancer Lifeline. myMDadvocate is a virtual consultation service for patients in Washington state. Dr. Baumgaertel serves as your physician advocate, guide, advisor, coach, resource, consultant, collaborator, educator, navigator, and partner. She is also an ally to your primary care and specialty physicians and surgeons, and to all professionals you consider important for optimizing your physical and mental health.
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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 welcomes myMDadvocate as one of its newest sponsors. A virtual consultation service for patients in Washington state, myMDadvocate is led by our board chair Susan Baumgaertel, MD.
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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 welcome back and are very grateful to Marshall & Sullivan as a sponsor for 2023. Not only does your service helps to relieve the pressures of day-to-day wealth management, your support enables us to help and serve many people living with cancer.
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We are grateful for the support of members of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center organization on so many levels - for our current Board Directors who are on the staff at Fred Hutch: Bethany Murphy, Joanna Diallo, and Reetu Ghumman, and for so many informative presenters over many years.
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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 welcome Multicare as a new sponsor, 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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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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Mercer joins Cancer Lifeline again year as a 2023 event sponsor thanks to the stewardship of Board Director Elizabeth Zech.
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Cancer Lifeline welcomes 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.
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The Commerce Bank of Washington has been supporting Cancer Lifeline since 1995. Several bank staff members have served on our Board, including former TCBW staff, Steven Gerlock and Susan Finneran, who now sits on our Advisory Board. We are grateful for The Commerce Bank of Washington's ongoing partnership.
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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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We are grateful for the steadfast support of Lilly as a sponsor of our fundraising events over the years. Our thanks to Advisory Board Member Nate Miles.
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(formerly Cornerstone Advisors) has been a steadfast sponsor of Cancer Lifeline's events. Our thanks to Cancer Lifeline Advisory Board Member Dave Drews and Pathstone for their continued leadership. We welcome them back for 2023.
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On the recommendation of our board member Sue Drummond, we welcome back Michael Weichbrodt wit Morgan Stanley to Cancer Lifeline's group of 2023 Sponsors.
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Thanks to the leadership of former Board Director Ben Hicks, Cancer Lifeline welcomes back Soundmark Wealth Management as a sponsor in 2023.
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We are thrilled to welcome back Genentech as a 2023 sponsor. 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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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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