CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
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Mission Statement
Cancer Support Community uplifts and strengthens people impacted by cancer by providing support, fostering compassionate communities, and breaking down barriers to care.
About This Cause
Every hour of every day, 200 people in the US are diagnosed with cancer and by the year 2040, this number is anticipated to increase by 49%. In addition, there are over 100,000 people in the East Bay living with cancer which accounts for approximately 25% of deaths in Contra Costa County. This is the highest rate of cancer within California. The impact of a cancer diagnosis extends far beyond medical treatment. As many as three out of every four cancer survivors experience symptoms of psychological distress or cognitive concerns and are more than twice as likely to declare bankruptcy than those without a cancer diagnosis. Distressed patients experience greater mortality and morbidity, poorer immune function, greater healthcare expenditures and greater use of medical services. Unfortunately, these types of non-medical issues are generally not addressed by medical professionals. Appointments with physicians are brief and more focused on physical symptoms and treatments even though research has shown that the incidence of psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety, is between 30% and 60%. Despite this, it is estimated that fewer than 10% of cancer patients are referred for support (Dr. Paul Jacobsen: Overcoming the Challenges of Improving Psychosocial Care for Patients With Cancer, ASCO 2020). The CSC Cancer Registry 2020 found that 49% of patients are at risk for clinical anxiety, 38% are at risk for clinical depression, and 40% are unprepared to manage side effects. The lack of support and disparities in health is even more pronounced among cancer patients from communities of color and patients who have lower incomes. A recent study showed race is significantly associated with financial toxicity due to a cancer diagnosis (Pazone, J.; Association of Race With Cancer-Related Financial Toxicity, JCO Oncol Practice, Feb. 2022). In addition, availability of mental health services, which was already at a crisis point prior to 2020, was made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The type of evidence-based support programs offered by Cancer Support Community (CSC) San Francisco Bay Area have clear benefits in terms of health outcomes and quality of life. Research shows that support programs addressing social, educational, psychological, and financial needs of cancer patients can improve health outcomes and quality of life for both patients and their family members while also reducing hospital utilization (Impact of distress screening and referral on health care utilization and cost among breast cancer patients: a retrospective cohort study, Miller et al. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice 2022). Support services are recognized as a vital, effective, and necessary part of cancer care by the Institute of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Oncology Nursing Society. Comments from our members best articulate the impact of support programs provided by CSC. Below a few of many examples of how our programs improve participants quality of life. “Along with all of the other challenges, cancer has a financial impact—there are so many unexpected expenses. But Cancer Support Community is amazing. No fees, no paperwork, no bureaucracy. Everything is just available for you, and everyone there is so welcoming''. “Cancer Support Community has taught me how to take care of myself in new ways. Better diet, better exercise, better peace of mind”. “Cancer was a nightmare, but in some ways I’ve emerged from it even stronger. CSC opened the doors to make that possible, and I am so very thankful”. It is vital that support programs such as those offered by CSC SF Bay Area are universally offered as part of the cancer treatment standard of care and accessible to all cancer patients, especially those from underserved communities whose members are disproportionately affected by cancer. As the number of cancer survivors grows, addressing their psychological and social concerns will become even more urgent. Our services enable cancer patients to manage their treatment and recovery as effectively as possible, increase their chances for survival, reduce their chance of recurrence, and provide for a higher quality of life. Our programs and services include the following: • Emergency financial assistance for low income cancer patients • Orientation sessions regularly throughout the year to introduce people diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers to the community and available resources • Weekly support groups for people with any type of cancer • Specialized support groups for people with similar experiences, including those with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, brain cancer, gynecologic/ovarian cancer, lung cancer, carcinoid/neuroendocrine and other cancers, and for life after cancer • Support groups for caregivers, family members, and significant others • Services for children whose parents have cancer • Creative expression, stress reduction and specialized exercise programs, such as yoga and guided imagery • Workshops on topics such as nutrition, treatment advances, and complementary therapies • Symposia developed by national experts on critical topics for people with cancer and educational series for intensive training on managing treatment and recovery All of our services have clinical research evidence to support their value and impact for cancer patients, Research has demonstrated that support services like those offered by CSC can help cancer patients and their families improve their health and quality of life by reducing anxiety, increasing healthy behaviors, increasing feelings of empowerment and ability to manage their disease. Support services are recognized as an integral part of complete cancer care by the Institute of Medicine. We survey members to measure the effectiveness of our programs on a variety of aspects of their lives. Our goal is that at least 75% of people accessing CSC support programs will report: • better management of their distress level • feeling more empowered to manage their illness successfully • increasing knowledge to help them manage their treatment • feeling less isolated • increased ability to make better treatment decisions • improved quality of life.