CUES FOR CANCER
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Mission Statement
Cues for Cancer exists to inspire hope, resilience, and healing through the transformative power of the performing arts. Our mission is to uplift and support individuals within the national theater community—actors, musicians, designers, technicians, directors, stage managers, ushers, and all who call the stage home—who are currently battling or have been affected by cancer, either personally or through the experiences of loved ones. We believe that the stage is not only a place of storytelling and expression but also a sanctuary for the human spirit. As such, Cues for Cancer harnesses the strength, empathy, and magic of the performing arts to provide a platform for connection, emotional wellness, and dignity in the face of adversity. Whether through curated productions, therapeutic workshops, community programs, or crisis support, we empower individuals to find voice, visibility, and vibrant community both onstage and off. As a 501(c)(3) public charity, we center equity, representation, and trauma-informed care in every offering. We are especially committed to amplifying and affirming voices often left behind in traditional healthcare and arts access—LGBTQIA+ individuals, BIPOC artists, disabled performers, youth in underserved areas, and those facing financial barriers to care. Through direct services, advocacy, educational outreach, and creative expression, we strive to: Deliver healing arts workshops for cancer survivors and caregivers; Produce inclusive stage productions that tell authentic stories of survival and identity; Provide emergency assistance, peer support, and wellness resources to those navigating treatment within the theater industry; Cultivate safe, affirming, and emotionally intelligent spaces for individuals facing medical trauma or systemic marginalization. Our name, Cues for Cancer, honors both the silent cues called backstage and the quiet strength shown by those living with cancer—often unseen, but deeply felt. Every program we launch is a cue: a call to action, a moment of visibility, a signal of life continuing in the wings. At its heart, Cues for Cancer is about more than performance. It’s about creating space—space for grief, for laughter, for strength, and for joy. We are here to remind every person touched by cancer that their light still shines, their story still matters, and their next cue is waiting.
About This Cause
Cues for Cancer Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity established to serve a deeply unique and under-supported population: individuals in the theater and performing arts community who are currently experiencing, recovering from, or have survived cancer. This includes not only actors and singers, but also choreographers, musicians, lighting designers, costume artists, stagehands, directors, playwrights, ushers, and the many other professionals whose lives are dedicated to storytelling on and off the stage. At Cues for Cancer, we believe that every cue taken in a performance—whether subtle or spotlighted—mirrors the lived experiences of cancer survivors: quiet moments of transition, unexpected calls to courage, and the sacred urgency of showing up when the lights go on. The organization was born from a lived experience of survival, artistic resilience, and community. Our founder—a cancer survivor, performer, and lifelong advocate—recognized a profound gap in support systems for creative professionals enduring the physical, emotional, and financial trauma of cancer. Too often, artists are left to navigate life-altering diagnoses without stable insurance, access to culturally-competent healthcare, or a support network that understands the rhythms of both treatment and rehearsal. Cues for Cancer is that missing link. We serve as a lifeline and a launchpad for healing. Our work exists at the intersection of health, artistry, mental wellness, and identity. Cues for Cancer is an interwoven response to the overlapping challenges faced by artists: chronic illness, financial instability, housing insecurity, racial and gender discrimination in healthcare, emotional trauma, and displacement from the very stages that bring them meaning. Through holistic programs rooted in trauma-informed practices and inclusive design, we aim to restore a sense of agency, connection, and expression for those navigating or emerging from the cancer experience. Core Programs and Initiatives: 1. Healing Through Performance Workshops: These therapeutic, movement-based, and voice-centered workshops provide cancer survivors and caregivers with guided opportunities for self-expression. Facilitated by licensed counselors and trauma-informed teaching artists, these sessions explore creative healing modalities including improvisation, musical storytelling, mask work, breathwork, and journaling. Workshops are offered both virtually and in person in collaboration with hospitals, cancer support groups, and theater organizations. 2. The Stage of Survival: A signature production series featuring original one-act plays, monologues, musical numbers, and devised theater created by and for cancer survivors and the arts community. These performances are a space for catharsis and visibility—raising public awareness, reducing stigma, and celebrating the truth of lived experiences through world-class artistry. 3. Artist Assistance Fund: A micro-grant and emergency relief program that provides direct financial assistance to individuals in the theater community affected by cancer. Funds may be used for housing, transportation to treatment, groceries, art supplies, wellness support, or caregiving costs. The application process prioritizes accessibility, urgency, and dignity, and is especially mindful of LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled applicants. 4. Affirming Care Resource Index: We maintain and grow a curated, location-aware database of affirming oncologists, therapists, primary care providers, and support groups for performing artists facing cancer. This digital resource hub integrates geolocation and identity filters, ensuring access to culturally sensitive care for those whose identities and vocations have historically been marginalized. 5. Educational Outreach and Advocacy: We partner with medical schools, arts institutions, and professional theaters to conduct presentations, panels, and continuing education on the intersections of art, illness, and identity. Our team develops training for theater companies on how to support artists returning to work post-treatment and provides resources for navigating ADA compliance, medical leave, and accommodations. 6. The Cue Card Project: In this initiative, donors and volunteers create personalized cards of encouragement—“cue cards”—that are mailed to individuals undergoing treatment. Cards may be distributed through partner hospitals, mailed directly upon request, or bundled with handmade beanies and care packages. 7. SummerStage and Teaching Artist Residencies: We support emerging and seasoned teaching artists who are survivors or caregivers to lead multi-week programs for youth. These residencies center healing-centered engagement and the idea that the arts can be both a method of teaching and a medicine for transformation. 8. Research and Storytelling: Through interviews, oral histories, and visual media, we document the stories of artists living with cancer. These stories are used in grant proposals, publications, and public media campaigns that aim to increase funding, awareness, and respect for arts-based healing spaces. Organizational Values: - Equity: We prioritize programs that uplift historically excluded communities, including LGBTQIA+ people, people of color, and those living with disabilities. - Dignity: Every interaction with Cues for Cancer centers the inherent worth of the individual, regardless of income, diagnosis stage, or artistic background. - Hope: We believe in forward motion, and in the possibility of reclaiming light and voice even after profound struggle. - Accountability: We commit to transparency with our finances, ethical storytelling, and rigorous program evaluation. - Collaboration: We build bridges between the medical community, the arts world, and survivors themselves. What Makes Us Different: Cues for Cancer is the only national organization focused specifically on the intersection of cancer and performing arts. While other nonprofits serve patients or artists separately, we operate in the middle—where identity, artistry, and survival meet. Our leadership reflects the communities we serve. Our programs are built on lived experience. Our stage is both literal and symbolic: a platform for healing, truth, and transformation. In a world where cancer can silence voices, Cues for Cancer turns up the lights, opens the curtain, and gives survivors back the stage. Join us. Support us. Be part of the cue.