Copelink Blog

This month, we’re delighted to highlight CancerCare’s Grants Administration team. Our Grants department oversees the grantmaking process, from searching for new funding opportunities, writing proposals and tracking grants received, to updating corporations and foundations on how their contributions have been used to support our direct programs and services to clients.

All year long, CancerCare supports the vital roles caregivers play in helping their loved ones cope with cancer. This November, as part of National Family Caregivers Month, we are celebrating the valuable contributions of caregivers and shining a light on the resources and support available to them.

For people affected by cancer, the holiday season can be a complicated time of year. Oncology social worker Leeann Medina-Martinez, LMSW, offers her insight on staying connected and creating new traditions during a year unlike any other.

Being a caregiver can be a full time job, and caregivers often put their own needs or feelings aside while providing physical and emotional care for their loved one. In times of stress, it can be helpful to remember that taking care of yourself is an important part of being a caregiver. In recognition of National Family Caregiver Awareness Month, Alyson Erardy, an oncology social worker and moderator of our young adult caregiver online support group, explores the Caregiver’s Bill of Rights and how it can help caregivers while supporting a loved one in need.

CancerCare celebrates 75 Years of Help and Hope! This is part I of our “If it matters to you, it matters to us” blog series that aims to exemplify CancerCare’s commitment to serve people with cancer and to celebrate a legacy of comprehensive care for people living with cancer.

Last year, Marjorie’s whole world fell apart when her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Shortly after that, her sister-in-law was also unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. After losing both relatives, Marjorie sought out grief counseling, which is where she first heard of CancerCare. She called the Hopeline, and was connected with Kathy Nugent, LCSW, an oncology social worker in CancerCare’s New Jersey office. Through her individual counseling, Marjorie was able to process the grief she was feeling, as well as talk through the mental and physical toll of caregiving.

When Stephanie’s best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, CancerCare’s counseling services provided both women with support. Now, Stephanie is giving back at CancerCare’s Fairfield Walk/Run for Hope.

Dixie shares: “One of the many beneficial things I learned from my time at CancerCare was the importance of self-care. Early on, I identified an important self-care activity as riding my bicycle. My Dad and I often rode together, and it was something that, long into his own treatment, served as a crucial self-care activity for him. It felt like I’d landed on the perfect fit when I discovered CancerCare was a represented charity for the TD 5 Boro Bike Tour, and I was honored to have the opportunity to raise money for an organization that had done so much for me.”

Joyce came to CancerCare after experiencing the loss of her husband to cancer. She shares,“The support [CancerCare] provided saved my life, and I hope to be able to spread awareness so that others may be impacted in the same way that I have.” Putting her gratitude into action, Joyce has become a passionate advocate for CancerCare, and is now being honored at CancerCare’s 2016 Festival of Hope Gala.

I found myself leaving sessions hopeful and revitalized, emotions I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was able to be a better caregiver for my Dad because I was finally taking care of myself - a gift from CancerCare that I will be forever grateful for.