Here are links to national or international cancer support organizations that we’ve talked to collectively or used individually. Additional organizations that provide a resource like hats or lymphedema sleeves are listed on our “Help” page.
- The American Cancer Society is our #1 recommended resource, as they have hundreds of informative pages written or approved by doctors and specialists in all kinds of cancer. For immediate help, call their support line: 1-800-227-2435;
- Avon Foundation;
- BCmets is an online support group for women with metastatic breast cancer;
- Camp Kesem – sleepaway camp for kids of cancer patients;
- Cancer Care offers free, professional support for anyone affected by cancer;
- CarePages.com is a place to create a free, private website to keep friends and family up-to-date without repeated phone calls. Also offers stories, tips and a directory to find others in similar situations;
- The Colon Club, an organization dedicated to providing education and support for young people diagnosed with colon/rectal/anal cancer;
- fertileHOPE helps cancer patients faced with infertility;
- HysterSisters is another site that supports women considering, going through, or who have had a hysterectomy, for cancer reasons or otherwise;
- i[2]y: I’m Too Young for this! Cancer Foundation: The Voice of Young Adults, a project of Stand Up to Cancer;
- The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation is dedicated to researching the cause of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, also known as IBC, an advanced and accelerated form of breast cancer usually not detected by mammograms or ultrasounds;
- The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Foundation‘s mission is to educate the public and the medical community when needed, that this form of breast cancer is different and is rarely picked up by mammograms;
- The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Network (new in 2011) mission is to to fund research regarding IBC, to educate the general public and the medical community, and to provide college scholarships for students impacted by IBC;
- The Livestrong Foundation, founded by Lance Armstrong;
- The Lymphedema Network;
- The Macmillan Online Community (UK);
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Network is a site dedicated to raising awareness of metastatic breast cancer, giving those living with the disease a greater voice and visibility in the breast cancer community;
- Metavivors is a Research and Support Program for Metastatic Stage IV Breast Cancer that funds research and helps individuals set up support groups:
- National Cancer Institute;
- Navigating Cancer;
- Ostomates, for new and experienced ostomates. This site is a recommendation of Jenni Ballentyne, one of the first writers for this site;
- Planet Cancer;
- Susan G. Komen Foundation;
- Tiger Lily Foundation Educates, advocates for, empowers and supports young women affected by breast cancer;
- United Ostomy Associations of America, for individuals with colorectal cancers (another favorite of Jenni’s);
- UpToDate is an evidence based, peer reviewed information resource where you can answer questions quickly and increase clinical knowledge;
- The Wellness Community is a national network of support centers offering yoga and light fitness or meditation classes, individual and group support, and educational classes for cancer patients and recent survivors;
- What Friends Do has been recommended in our comments, below;
- Worldwide Breast Cancer is an independent site dedicated to educating the public. The originator of the site also designed MWC’s logo, at no cost to us!;
- Young Survival Coalition promotes action, advocacy and awareness of breast cancer in women under 40;
- Young Survivors Network; and
- United Ostomy Associations of America.
This list is by no means exhaustive! There are also young survivor groups, breast cancer groups, and other support groups at most hospitals with oncology units, as well as dozens of blogs and support sites online. We recommend that everyone make contact with a local support group and supplement with online resources to fill in any gaps. Please ask your oncologist, oncology nurse, and/or social worker if you haven’t heard about a support group at your hospital yet – you will meet some amazing women and supporters who know an awful lot about living life with joy and purpose – even after a diagnosis of breast cancer.
Mothers With Cancer 
Educates, advocates for, empowers and supports young women affected by breast cancer.
CarePages.com is a place to create a free, private website to keep friends and family up-to-date without repeated phone calls. Also offers stories, tips and a Directory to find others in similar situations.
Okay, I have some resources to add to this site but I don’t know how to add them up the top properly so for now I’ll list them here in the comments section, perhaps Susan or somebody could help me list them up above sometime soon. Okay here goes:
http://www.crazysexycancer.blogspotcom This is Kris Carr’s blog and it has some wonderful resources.
http://www.planetcancer.org
http://www.myheartties.com – very different but maybe helpful!
http://www.ostomates.org
http://www.cancerguide.com – Steven Dunn
http://www.whiterosecollection.com
http://www.swimsuitsforall.com
http://www.uoaa.org – highly recommend
http://share.macmillan.org.uk
http://www.dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov (very interesting)
http://www.jackieferry.com (Not for the fainthearted lol!)
Okay that is all for right now, I hope I haven’t missed any wonderful site but let me know if I have and we can add you to our resources.
Wanted to let you guys know about my all time favorite resource…Lance Armstrong Foundation at http://www.livestrong.org. It is the main place I found much of my support during my own battle…and am finding myself visiting there once again as I face surgery #6 later this month. I hope you will check it out and take advantage of their outstanding resources like the Survivor Notebook.
Oh, and is there a way I could be considered to be an author on this blog?
I wanted to let you all know about a website I recently started http://www.whatfriendsdo.com. It allows friends and family to help as well as stay connected during a time of crisis. We also started a blog, http://www.whatfriendsblog.com that has fun ideas of ways to keep people’s spirits up.
Please check it out and let me know if there’s any way we can work together.
Hello everyone.
I’m Susie in San Diego, and I am a 4 1/2 year breast cancer survivor.
I think your site is great, and a wonderful resource for people.
I’ve also had Alopecia since age 4 which is an autoimmune disorder which prevents my hair from growing.
Because of my experiences with hair loss, I started designing and making hats without the open back.
I wanted hats that could be worn for different ocassions.
They are soft, and stretchy, with cotton for softness, and come in many colors.
This month we featured soft, pink hats with or without cancer ribbons for breast cancer month.
I’m proud of the designs, and should you want to know more about me, and see what I make, please take a look at http://www.stylishnoggins.com
Sincerely
Susie Faber
Just wanting your readers to know we are here for up to date information on Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
Knowledge is Power!
Check us out and join in our mission that not one more person says, “I never heard of Inflammatory Breast Cancer”
Thank you and keep up the great blog.
Patti Bradfield
President
The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Foundation
http://www.eraseibc.com
Hello to all, I am a social worker and counselor for the Susan Butcher Family Center in Anchorage, AK. I help our Cancer Center Navigation Team with providing support to adult cancer patients and their families. We have been working with a mother of 4 children for several months now. Unfortunately her breast cancer has spread and she is moving rapidly towards end of life phase. Our team is working to identify resources for helping financially grant her dying wishes. I understand that the FairyGodmother Foundation is no longer in service. Does anyone have other resources for helping support the wishes of terminal mothers? Thank you. Sandy
Camp Kesem is a summer camp for children between the ages of 6 and 13 whose parents have been affected by cancer. We are currently at over 20 colleges around the nation and we are constantly looking for families to help. Our summer camp is FREE because we fund raise over the entire year to pay for the camp. The camp is not a therapy session, but a camp where we let the kids forget about their problems around other kids in the exact same situation. I am the president of the camp at the University of Florida and would encourage anyone to look into us if we can help you. Thank you.
http://www.campkesem.org
In Mommy’s Garden: A Book to Help Explain Cancer to Young Children is a great resource to help start the dialogue about cancer when a parent is diagnosed. It is never easy to talk to young children about a serious illness, but this book can help give you the words.
Visit http://books.canyonbeach.com/inmommysgarden to learn more.
Nowhere Hair is my personal response to the books I found 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and went looking for a book to explains things to young kids.
What I found was either too technical for a young child, hideously illustrated, or portrayed the mother as a creepy-looking emotional mess.
I’ve chosen to explain a cancer diagnosis not as a terrifying end-of-the-world event, but something that is to be lived through with some sort of grace.
I think that young kids (and by that I mean ages 3-7) should be spared the full wrath of the drama. (Oh, I cried, believe me, but at night, after Hans was asleep). They need to know they didn’t do anything to cause your cancer. They need to understand they can’t catch it, like a cold. The should feel that you are still the same old Mommy you have always been, just with a different exterior. And that, truly, this is a time to live into the idea that what is inside us is far more important than what we look like on the outside.
Check it out on http://www.NowhereHair.com
-sue
Please list our organization as a resource
Please list http://www.specialmoms123.org as a resource for moms and dads in treatment. We offer free childcare during treatment and recovery.
Hello Mothers!
Would it be possible to list the Mesothelioma Center on your resources?
‘Mesothelioma Doctors’ to our doctors page at asbestos.com/treatment/doctors/ would be amazing!
Regards,
Nick
Hello, I think this is such a fantastic site! There is so much good about this site there aren’t enough words.
Anyways I just wanted to add a resource for everyone for cheap medical supplies:
Thanks.
Hi we are a local non-profit group called Martha’s angels, Inc. We help people in the 9 county central Florida area with their utilities, mtg/rent payments, food, etc. We are grass roots, just starting out. We have 3 fundraisers planned for March and April. For more info check out our website at http://www.marthasangels.org
To whom it may concern:
I am setting up a benefit for my sister Jeanette Cruz.
Jeanette has been battling with cancer for 4 years. She was diagnosed at the age of 26.
She has two children 5 and 7 years old. The doctors have given her 6 -8 months to live.
We are trying to get as many people and companies to donate money. In order for Jeanette to enjoy the time she has left with her kids.
We are asking for any help at all..
Please call me if you are willing to donate anything at all.
Thanks
Amy Marte
978-807-2925c
We’ll be here for you if you need us.
Mommy & Me Cancer Foundation’s mission is to support young mothers battling cancer who are also raising minor children. Visit us or contact me for more information.
Read our recent story on facebook: