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On the first weekend of June, CancerCare hosted the seventh annual Healing Hearts Family Bereavement Camp, a free retreat for families with children coping with the loss of a loved one to cancer. In the second part of our blog post about the camp, the families take advantage of the many activities offered by the Malibu Dude Ranch, including horseback riding, fishing, archery and paddleboating.

The families also participated in a memorial candle lighting service, saw a rodeo show and attended a resilience panel, featuring talks by CancerCare clients who experienced the loss of a parent, a spouse or a child, and found ways to cope over time.

On the first weekend of June, CancerCare hosted the seventh annual Healing Hearts Family Bereavement Camp, a free retreat for families with children coping with the loss of a loved one to cancer. 31 families spent the weekend at Malibu Dude Ranch in Milford, PA at a star-themed retreat, where they swam, rode horses and processed their healing journey.

“I had the chance to talk to many people, grieving from different losses – children, parents, spouses. Everyone was raising children in the midst of this,” recounts Theta P. “We were able to listen to each other and tell stories; we understood each other the way few can.”

Children can have many different reactions when they learn that they or someone they love has been diagnosed with cancer. CancerCare for Kids provides free, professional support services for parents, children and adolescents affected by cancer, as well as information about helping children understand cancer and additional resources.

Today, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting kicks off in Chicago, Illinois. To commemorate the start of this key event, CancerCare’s Education Program staff take a look back at how access of cancer patients to supportive care has improved in the last twenty years, and examine the changing needs of patients over this time period.

A dynamic team of CancerCare’s oncology social workers presented at this year’s Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) Annual Conference. Created in 1984 by social workers interested in oncology and by existing national cancer organizations, AOSW is an expanding force of psychosocial oncology professionals. The annual meeting serves as a wonderful opportunity to advance the field of oncology social work, as well as to highlight the important work conducted by CancerCare’s social workers.

For people with cancer, coping with the loss of fertility can seem secondary. But for many, it is viewed as something everlasting, staying with them long after there is no longer evidence of the disease. As overwhelming as this new normal may seem, there are ways to cope with the feelings that may arise. CancerCare oncology social worker and guest blogger Angelique Caba, LCSW, discusses different ways of coping with fertility loss after cancer.

After Sandra Lyu’s father, Seung, passed away from pancreatic cancer, she and her family decided to set up a special fundraiser in his memory, benefiting CancerCare’s free support services. After creating a Team CancerCare fundraiser page, the Lyu family has raised nearly $10,000 for anyone affected by cancer. “We are truly grateful to everyone who has donated,“ Sandra says. "Knowing the impact our father has had on so many people and to give back in honor of him has meant so much to our family during this very difficult time.”

Over 400 guests gathered at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on April 22 in support of CancerCare. The 2015 gala raised over $900,000 and featured an address by legendary reporter Sam Donaldson, who served as the event’s Honorary Co-Chair.

CancerCare’s free Healing Hearts Family Bereavement Camp allows families who have experienced the loss of a loved one to cancer to come together for a weekend retreat. Check out our Indiegogo page to help us make this unique experience available to additional families!

A natural actor and people person, 15-year-old Myron Theilmeier quickly took center stage at CancerCare events and gatherings, performing karaoke at the annual holiday party and connecting with others at the Healing Hearts Camp and Walk/Run for Hope. Now, Myron will take the stage once again to share his story at the 2015 CancerCare Gala.