About Our Programs and Services
Our Professional Peer Counselors, cancer survivors themselves, provide personalized support and guidance, free of charge, to hundreds of women and their families every year. Peer Counselors are on duty Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm, offering help and information by phone, email, and (when permissible) in person. They are a lifeline to those facing the many challenges that come with navigating a breast, ovarian or other gynecological cancer journey. They are there for support from diagnosis, through treatment, and beyond.
In addition to providing one-on-one support, our Peer Counselors also plan and implement all of our other free support services, such as support groups, educational and wellness programs, social activities for cancer survivors, and educational programs. Our peer-to-peer approach to service provision is the key to meeting the needs of the people we serve. At Support Connection, We’ve Been There ~ We Care.
What You Helped Us Accomplish in 2022
2022 was a year filled with the challenge of adjusting to a “new normal.” No obstacle was too great, however, to distract us from our commitment to our mission and to those who need our support.
Here are HIGHLIGHTS of what our Peer Counselors accomplished in 2022:
- Offered critically needed help, information, and assistance to 470 different individuals affected by breast, ovarian or any other gynecological cancer. 216 of these were new clients.
- 71% of these individuals contacted our Peer Counselors on multiple occasions.
- Served individuals from 30 different states.
- Had 2,872individual contacts with cancer survivors, family members, friends, to provide in-depth, personalized support and information.
- Held 82 Monthly Support Group sessions in 2022, all held virtually. Each was facilitated by our professional Peer Counselors and/or trained volunteers, all of whom are cancer survivors themselves. These support group sessions had a total attendance of 199.
- Brought relaxation and healing to women living with cancer by hosting
4weekly virtual wellness classes: Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, Rosen Movement. We offered 100 total sessions of these classes, for a total attendance of 604.
- Enhanced the well-being of people living with cancer by offering a variety of programs, including: therapeutic activities such as virtual art classes; social activities such as book club; 15 sessions of topic-focused discussion groups. These programs had a total attendance of 161.
- Offered Open Discussions specifically for men whose spouse/partner has breast, ovarian or any gynecological cancer and Open Discussions for men living with the loss of a spouse or partner to these cancers.
- Provided vital educational information to women with breast, ovarian or any other gynecological cancer across the country by offering 3 national webinars. Speakers were doctors with expertise in their fields or other health-care professionals.
- Through community outreach, our professional Peer Counselors connected with 82 individuals or organizations to develop relationships with other professionals and organizations that may offer additional resources and services to our clients.