The following is an overview of some of the programs & support groups available at Life with Cancer. To register for one of our upcoming programs or support group sessions, see our calendar.

Support & Networking

• Breast Cancer Support & Networking: A monthly group for women with stage 0-3 breast cancer who are no more than 2 years out of active treatment, to learn, share and discuss how to best navigate survivorship.
• Young Women with Breast Cancer Support & Networking: A monthly group for women in their 20s, 30s and 40s with stage 0-3 breast cancer and are no more than two years out of active treatment. Meet in a supportive environment to gather information and learn how to best navigate survivorship.
• Coalesce: Advanced Breast Cancer Support & Networking: A weekly group for women of all ages with advanced breast cancer. Meet weekly in a closed support group to share life's joys and sorrows. Prior screening is required.
• Brain Tumor Support & Networking: A monthly group for adult patients and family members to share and learn ways to meet the challenges of living with primary malignant or benign brain tumors.
• Carcinoid Cancer Support & Networking: A patient-led monthly meeting for individuals and family members to share experiences and learn from one another. For more information email Mitch.
• Caregiver Connection: A monthly meeting providing support to anyone dealing with the challenges of caring for a loved one with cancer. Learn coping strategies for caring for oneself while caring for your loved one.
• Colorectal Cancer: A quarterly meeting featuring speakers and topics of interest for patients, survivors and  loved ones.
• Cutaneous Lymphoma Support & Networking: A monthly meeting for individuals with all forms and stages of cutaneous lymphoma, and their support partners, to connect with and learn from others who share this disease.
• Gastrointestinal Cancer Support Group: This support group is for people impacted by a stage 0-3 gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis: esophagus, stomach, biliary system, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus. Connect with patients, survivors, and loved ones to discuss the changes that treatment and survivorship can bring.
• Gynecological Cancer Support & Networking:  A monthly meeting for women diagnosed with ovarian, cervical and any gynecological cancer to share experiences and learn from one another.
• Head and Neck Cancers Support & Networking: A monthly meeting for current and former head and neck cancer patients and their significant others to learn from and connect with one another.
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Support & Networking: A monthly meeting featuring speakers and topics of interest for Leukemia and Lymphoma patients and their loved ones.
• Living with Advanced Disease Support & Networking: Monthly and bimonthly meetings to explore and learn ways to learn to live with an advanced cancer and the many questions and life decisions that come along with the diagnosis.
• Lung Cancer: A monthly meeting for patients and loved ones to discuss the challenges of living with lung cancer and its treatment.
• Melanoma: A quarterly meeting featuring speakers and topics of interest to Melanoma patients, survivors and their loved ones.
• Multiple Myeloma: A monthly meeting featuring speakers, topics of interest and group discussion for patients, survivors and loved ones.
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) Support Group & Networking: A monthly meeting using discussion, problem solving and other modalities to help you gain insight into life with MDS.
• Prostate Cancer: A monthly "US TOO" meeting featuring special topics and group discussion for patients, survivors and loved ones.
• Spirituality Quest: A monthly meeting to explore our spiritual paths. Various non-religious topic will be open for discussed.
• Weight Management after Breast Cancer Support Group: Meet with others who share a similar challenge, learn strategies, and gain support to help you reach your goals.
• Women's Survivorship Support & Networking: A monthly meeting using discussion, problem solving and other modalities to help you gain insight and move forward in your life after cancer.
• Young Adult Support & Networking: A monthly meeting to talk about things that no one else wants to talk about: dating, employment, fertility, and anything else that affects people in the 18-39 age range. This is not your grandmother's support group.
• Young Women with Breast Cancer: Women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s with non-metastatic breast cancer, from diagnosis to one-year post-treatment are invited to meet with others in a supportive environment to gather information and learn how to best navigate survivorship.
• Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Support & Networking: A semiannual meeting featuring speakers and topics of interest to  Waldenstrom patients, survivors and loved ones. Co sponsored by the Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation.

Education & Information

• Fighting Cancer with a Fork: Going through cancer treatments and getting back to "normal" can wreak havoc with one's appetite and activity level. A certified specialist in oncology nutrition will provide an overview of dietary  recommendations for patients, survivors, and family members.
• Feeling Irritable?: This class will help participants understand and explore strategies to manage the strong emotions that can arise for patients/survivors and their loved ones during and after cancer treatment.
• Fighting Cancer with a Fork: A Registered Dietitian who is also a certified specialist in oncology nutrition will provide an overview of nutritional recommendations for cancer patients and survivors.
• Look Good…Feel Better: A beauty professional will teach women in active treatment how to manage appearance-related side effects of chemotherapy, radiation or other forms of treatment. Cosponsored with the American Cancer Society, National Cosmetology Association and Personal Care Products Council.
• Mind over Matter: How to manage your anxiety and/or depression before it manages you: This 5-session skill based program teaches evidenced-based tools for managing strong feelings and emotions that often accompany a cancer diagnosis and treatment.  Learn how a few basic skills can facilitate a greater sense of control, reduce anxiety, and promote healthier functioning.
• Orientation to Life with Cancer: Take a tour of our Family Center and learn about our many free classes, groups and services for children and adults.
• Planning Ahead - The Final Checklist: This four-week series is for anyone, wherever you are on your cancer journey and includes such topics as; creating and crafting your legacy, ethical wills, palliative and hospice care, developing a road map to dealing with a life threatening disease, planning a service of remembrance, estate planning, advanced directives and other practical and legal issues.
• Strategies for Improving Brain Fog: Understand the cognitive consequences of cancer treatment and learn strategies to mitigate the impact that can accompany cognitive decline.
• Survivorship Nutrition: A Registered Dietitian will review the latest evidence ,and provide ideas and resources on how to adjust your own diet to help decrease the risk of cancer recurrence.

• Need Sleep?: Learn evidence based tools for getting back to sleep.
• Tools for Couples: Learn how you and your partner can navigate the life changes brought about by a cancer diagnosis while maintain a strong relationship. Learn strategies for coping with the emotions that can interfere with your relationship--anger, mood swings, spouse fears, and depression, how to create a powerful team and avoid common conflict points.
• Nutrition: Join a Registered Dietitian and learn practical tools for nourishment with a focus on planning and preparing healthy foods, learning about eating in season and locally. This session will focus on integrating healthy foods into your diet to boost your health and immune system and will include a cooking demonstration and recipes.

Stress Reduction

• Healing through Art Therapy: Experience the power of your creativity through art therapy, relaxation and guided imagery. This group provides opportunities for reflection and personal growth while creating with a variety of art media and approaches. This group is for those currently in treatment, out of treatment within 2 years, caregivers and bereaved within 2 years. Artistic ability is NOT required.
• Meditation and Guided Imagery: Join in a relaxing exploration of the power and benefits of meditation. Each session begins with breath-work and a relaxation technique that leads into a guided meditation.
• Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery: Learn practices that focus on the connection and integration of the mind and body to effect changes on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels for the purpose of promoting health and well-being.
• Energy Therapies: A certified Reiki practitioner or Healing Touch provider will help you experience the benefits of this ancient practice involving the positioning of hands along the body to direct energy, release tension and discomfort, and enhance well-being.
• Knitting and Crocheting Circle: Practice your craft in the company of others. Past, new, experienced and inexperienced participants are welcome to join us to work on your own project or one to donate. All supplies will be provided.
• Qi Gong: Body, Mind, & Breath: Learn to use the internal tools of your mind, body, and breath to promote wellness. Explore how breathing, guided meditation, and gentle movement may impact your emotional and physical well-being.

Movement

• Barre Tone: This full body workout is ideal for those who want to sculpt, strengthen, and increase flexibility, while enjoying the infusion of dance.
• Buff Bones: This workout helps to build stronger bones as well as tone and fine-tune major muscle groups for strength and total-body conditioning
• Belly Dance: Learn shimmies, belly rolls, undulations, isolations and more as you feel your body getting stronger, more relaxed and more limber.
• Cardio & Core: Target your core muscles using variations of familiar moves, while increasing cardio endurance by adding interval training exercises.
• Cardio Drumming: Combining drumming, cardio and strength training, Cardio Drumming is an energetic, full body workout.
• Chair-Based Exercise: This biweekly class will help to increase heart rate, range of motion, flexibility and tone and strengthen muscles.
• Cross-Train Challenge: Appropriate for medium to experienced fitness levels. This class fuses together different intensities and types of movement to keep your body guessing while you get stronger.
• EZ Tai Chi: Using the protocols developed in the "Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi", you will learn 5 basic movements that are easy to learn and can be practiced at home
• Functional Fitness: Using resistance equipment, body weight and different movement patterns you'll build strength, cardio, flexibility and balance.
• Gentle Yoga and Evening Gentle Yoga: Gentle Yoga uses conscious breathing and postures to promote body awareness and postural alignment which brings a deep sense of peace. Each class includes movements that stretch, strengthen and relax muscles to improve flexibility, and general range of motion, strengthen bone density, concentration, balance and lung function.
• Keeping Fit: This weekly class offers a combination of standing and floor exercises.
• Men's Fitness Workshop: Regain strength, flexibility and balance. This class will help you create a program you can easily do on your own
• Restorative Yoga: This class uses bolsters, blocks, and blankets to support the body to allow participants to easily melt into a pose. Gentle stretches, breath work and guided meditation deepens ones practice.
• Strengthen with Barre and Pilates: You'll combine barre and Pilates' movements set to motivating music to create an invigorating workout.
• Tai Chi: Practiced at a slow and even speed, Tai Chi promotes relaxation, straight posture, and balance.
• Total Body Conditioning: An energizing workout combining cardio, strengthening, balance, and core in one workout.
• Yin Yoga for Patients in Treatment: Incorporating gentle movement and supported positions, Yin Yoga targets the deepest tissues of the body allowing increases in range of motion and promoting optimal health and vitality.
• Yoga Sculpt: this class is appropriate for those with intermediate to advanced levels of fitness. It combines yoga, light weight training, core work and cardio, for a full body workout
• Zumba: Zumba combines slow and fast rhythms with resistance training, while toning the body and cardiovascular system. Adding some Latin flavor and enthusiasm to the mix, it can help to lift one's mood and improve one's general sense of well being.

Register for Classes & Groups

Need help registering for a program or support? Unsure where to begin? Give us a call today!