5 Ways to Support Cancer Survivors

June is National Cancer Survivors Month, a time to rally around those who have experienced cancer and are currently living with cancer. It’s also a good time to raise awareness about the challenges of survivorship throughout all stages of the cancer journey. Even after treatment ends, survivors can face challenges ranging from financial concerns to fears of a recurrence.

That’s why your support matters. Whether you have personally been impacted by cancer or simply want to help others who are navigating a diagnosis or life post-treatment, there are many ways to show you care. 

Here are 5 ways to show your support:

1. Spread the word.

Have you ever wondered, "How do I find a local support group to help a cancer survivor?" Or maybe you've wondered, "What resources exist to help people cope with a cancer diagnosis?" 

Here at the Cancer Support Community (CSC), we offer a variety of programs and services to support people impacted by cancer, at any point in their cancer experience, all free of charge.

Do you know anyone who could use CSC’s support? Here are just a few helpful resources to share with your loved ones and community:

1. Local CSC Support Locations - Find a Location Near You – CSC has over 200 locations worldwide, including CSC and Gilda's Club centers, with professionally led support groups, yoga classes, educational workshops, and other programs. Many locations offer programs in person and online, with something for every age group and life situation, including children, teens, and families affected by cancer.
2. Cancer Support Helpline – Our Helpline is staffed by community navigators and resource specialists who have extensive experience in helping people affected by cancer.
3. MyLifeLine.org – Our online community is here to help patients, survivors, caregivers, and loved ones easily connect to their personal networks and others like them to reduce stress, anxiety, and isolation.

We often meet cancer survivors who tell us that they wish they had known about CSC when they received their diagnosis. Getting the word out can help ensure that more people know about our services and programs — offered at no cost to anyone impacted by cancer, when and where they need them most.

2. Honor cancerversaries.

Cancerversaries are personal. They are milestones in someone’s cancer journey, and unique to each person’s cancer experience. Is there a cancerversary that’s important to someone you love? Or, if you’re a cancer survivor, perhaps there’s a date you like to honor. Maybe it’s the last day of treatment, a cancer-free anniversary, or a different milestone.

You can honor these milestones in different ways, be they your own or an important anniversary in someone else’s life. Here are a few ideas:

1. Send a card. If you’re creative, design a handmade card to make it even more special for the recipient.
2. Prepare a nourishing meal for yourself or the cancer survivor in your life. Our Virtual Kitchen features a collection of simple & tasty recipes, all created to support the nutritional needs of people impacted by cancer.
3. Make a gift to CSC in honor of a loved one's cancerversary or a personal cancerversary. CSC's supporters help ensure that our critical programs and services continue to exist for patients and their families throughout their cancer experience.

3. Become a cancer advocate.

Cancer advocates work to educate the community and politicians on important cancer issues. Anyone can be a cancer advocate and help change laws and policies that affect people impacted by cancer. Many people think advocacy is intimidating or that it can only be done through lobbying, but that’s not the case.

There are many opportunities to advocate. Our Grassroots Network is a great place to start. Stand up for people impacted by cancer and make your voice heard to policymakers at the local and national level. Join our community of cancer advocates now.

4. Share your story.

If you are a cancer patient, a survivor, or a caregiver, consider sharing insights you’ve learned or offer words of hope and encouragement. Sharing your story can also be an effective way to raise awareness about concerns that need attention and action. This might be the need for a new policy that improves access to healthcare, or another positive change that would help improve the experiences of people impacted by cancer.

Whether you're navigating a diagnosis or living life after treatment, your story could be the beacon of hope someone needs.

Share Now: How Has Cancer Impacted You?

5. Show the world that Community Is Stronger Than Cancer.

Looking for more creative ways to show your support? 

1. Lead a fundraiser. Invite your friends, family, and community to join you in starting a fundraising campaign to benefit CSC.
2. Connect with others like you. Cancer survivors can be a powerful source of support for one another. If you’re a cancer survivor, join our online discussion forum for Post-treatment Survivors. We also have forums that address caregiving, managing side effects, and other important topics related to the cancer experience. Share your ideas, insights, and encouragement.
3. Share our CSC Events Calendar. Explore & share upcoming events that may interest friends in your community. Throughout the year, we host a variety of in-person and virtual events, from fundraising activities to educational webinars about timely cancer topics. Recordings of many of our past webinars are also available to access from our events calendar.