Copelink Blog

Unfortunately, cancer touches even the youngest lives. Oncology social worker Sarah Paul, LMSW, shares how working with children and teens affected by cancer challenges and inspires her.

Today’s guest blog post comes from oncology social worker, Sarah Paul, LMSW.

“I got to know Chris in the summer of 2014, almost a year after he was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer,” she shares. “[We] discussed the challenge of not letting his diagnosis become a part of his identity, his search for love and the difficulties of being a single young adult with cancer.”

Cancer is an expensive condition, and patients face financial concerns that impact many aspects of their lives. Today, we are proud to announce a new financial assistance program for adults and children with cancer who live in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley region. Learn more about who is eligible, and how to apply.

CancerCare was honored to be the recipient of The Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) Association of New York’s 2015 Holiday Party & Toy Drive. The PBK members and their guests were very generous in donating funds and gifts for children and teens affected by cancer.

As 2016 draws near, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on all we’ve accomplished in the past year. Here’s a look back at just a few of the highlights from 2015.

Of course, the truest highlights have been the exchanges between our social workers and clients, the bonds formed between members of our support groups and the words of thanks we receive from those who feel they have been helped. All of us at CancerCare look forward to continuing to provide help and hope to anyone affected by cancer, and working to ensure that no one has to face cancer alone.

With hundreds of people gathered at Jennings Beach in Connecticut on a chilly but beautiful fall morning, CancerCare kicked off its 9th Annual Fairfield Walk/Run for Hope to raise vital funds for our programs and services for those affected by cancer. The October 4th event brought together members of the Fairfield community and beyond to honor loved-ones and celebrate survivors.

On October 27th, 19 parents and children gathered in costume at CancerCare’s national office for “What’s Behind the Mask?,” a free Halloween event. The evening provided a fun time for kids, and also served as an opportunity for self-expression and bonding with others in similar situations.

Conversations about body image and self-esteem can be difficult to have with teenagers, even more so if their bodies have undergone a significant change as the result of a cancer diagnosis. CancerCare oncology social worker Sarah Paul, MSW, LMSW, discusses the importance of talking about body image with teens who have cancer, and offers tips on starting the conversation for parents and/or guardians.

From July 16-18, CancerCare will be at BlogHer 2015, the world’s largest conference for women content creators, doing what we do best: encouraging others to talk about cancer. To learn more, visit us at Booth 2004, or join us tomorrow at 1:30 pm for a Twitterstorm, where CancerCare and our partners will be tweeting information about Pillow Talk and the importance of starting conversations about cancer: follow #CancerTalk.

On the first weekend of June, CancerCare hosted the seventh annual Healing Hearts Family Bereavement Camp, a free retreat for families with children coping with the loss of a loved one to cancer. In the second part of our blog post about the camp, the families take advantage of the many activities offered by the Malibu Dude Ranch, including horseback riding, fishing, archery and paddleboating.

The families also participated in a memorial candle lighting service, saw a rodeo show and attended a resilience panel, featuring talks by CancerCare clients who experienced the loss of a parent, a spouse or a child, and found ways to cope over time.