Copelink Blog

It’s that time of year again! The weather is nice and the sun is blazing, but it’s important to remember that too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin and act as a major cause of skin cancer. The good news is that you can make small changes to your daily life to prevent skin damage and detect signs of skin cancer early.

CancerCare’s first Survivorship Celebration took place on June 4th in our New York office. Over 60 former CancerCare clients attended the event, including patients, caregivers and many loved ones. The event provided the opportunity for those affected by cancer who have used CancerCare’s services to meet one another, share their stories and recognize each other’s resilience. The highlight of the celebration was a series of presentations from patients and caregivers - read on to hear their stories.

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.

Graphic designer and cancer survivor Katie, 19, put her artistic talents to use by creating an inspirational calendar benefiting CancerCare. “I donated to CancerCare because their money goes towards the patients and families,” she shares. “I felt the pain first hand of the patient’s side of cancer, so I wanted my donation to go towards an organization that has the patients in mind.”

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.”

CancerCare is pleased to announce that a new booklet, “Your Guide to the Latest Cancer Research and Treatments: Highlights from the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology,” is now available!

Over 250 dedicated members of the CancerCare family joined us on Sunday, May 3, 2015 in Greenwich Point for the Third Annual Greenwich Walk/Run for Hope to celebrate survivors, support those who are facing cancer and remember those who lost to the disease. Congratulations to Evangela Breitbart for being the event’s highest individual fundraiser and to the Lymphomaniacs who, once again, won the award for highest total for a team!