Success Story

We were young, had two children, had lived all over the country and never gave cancer a second thought until August of 1999 when my husband, Jake, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Our oncologist told us about Cancer Support Community, a place where cancer patients and their families can go for support. The first person we met was our newcomer leader, a cancer survivor and our first ray of hope. Immediately we signed up for the weekly support groups and also attended the brain tumor group where we learned about treatments and how to cope with a brain tumor.

Cancer affects the entire family, so, what about our children? They didn't understand why Dad was always sick and why everyday there seemed to be another doctor's appointment. The "Families Living with Cancer" group let the children know that they were not alone and provided a safe place to express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns.

The support and nurturing has been invaluable. The education and stress management programs armed us for the biggest challenge of our lives. We were ready to fight. We gained knowledge, hope, and strength. I can't imagine fighting cancer without the help of Cancer Support Community.