Cancer Support Community

Cancer Support Community
Name	Cancer Support Community
Formation	1982
Founder	Harold Benjamin; Norman G. Kahn
Type	Nonprofit organization
Purpose	Psychosocial support for people affected by cancer
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States; international affiliates
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	Kim Thiboldeaux

Cancer Support Community

The Cancer Support Community is a nonprofit organization providing psychosocial support, education, and advocacy for people affected by cancer, including patients, survivors, caregivers, and families. Founded in the early 1980s, it operates a network of local affiliates, community centers, and online services to deliver programs ranging from support groups to evidence-based survivorship care. The organization collaborates with healthcare institutions, research centers, philanthropic foundations, and public policy actors to integrate psychosocial oncology into standard cancer care.

History

The organization traces its roots to community-based efforts in the 1980s led by activists including Harold Benjamin and Norman G. Kahn, who established early support centers influenced by programs at the Yale-New Haven Hospital, the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, and grassroots movements in cities such as San Diego, Chicago, and New York City. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s it expanded through mergers and partnerships with entities like the Gilda's Club Worldwide network, the LIVESTRONG Foundation, and collaborations with academic institutions including Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Major milestones include the development of standardized psychosocial intervention curricula influenced by research from the National Cancer Institute and the launch of national initiatives coinciding with policy discussions in the United States Senate and engagements with the American Cancer Society. Its history also intersects with advocacy campaigns tied to legislative efforts such as hearings before the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce and community responses to shifts in healthcare policy under administrations in Washington, D.C..

Mission and Programs

The organization's mission centers on delivering free or low-cost psychosocial support and comprehensive education informed by clinical practice guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine). Core programs include group support and individual counseling modeled after protocols tested at research sites like the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, psychoeducational workshops developed with faculty from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and survivorship planning resources reflecting standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Programmatic emphasis aligns with recommendations from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and integrates best practices from international partners such as the European Society for Medical Oncology.

Support Services and Resources

Services span in-person support at community centers and affiliates in metropolitan areas including Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, and Boston, alongside online platforms adapted during public health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Offerings include peer support groups, licensed mental health counseling, navigation services linking people to clinical trials at centers like the Mayo Clinic, financial and practical assistance informed by collaborations with the Patient Advocate Foundation, and educational webinars featuring experts from institutions such as the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Cleveland Clinic. Resource materials incorporate survivorship care plan templates consistent with guidance from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and content co-developed with advocacy groups including Susan G. Komen and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Research, Education, and Advocacy

The organization operates an affiliated research program that partners with academic centers such as the University of California, San Francisco and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to evaluate psychosocial interventions, quality-of-life metrics, and caregiver outcomes. Educational efforts include continuing education for clinicians in partnership with professional bodies like the Oncology Nursing Society and the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Advocacy initiatives have engaged with policymakers around survivorship issues, mental health parity, and access to clinical care, coordinating with coalitions including the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and participating in policy forums at entities like the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Organization and Governance

The organization is structured with a national office and a network of local affiliates, community centers, and international partners, overseen by a board of directors that has included leaders from nonprofit management, oncology practice, and philanthropy with connections to institutions such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and leading academic hospitals. Executive leadership has involved chief executives who previously worked with organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Governance practices reference nonprofit compliance standards recommended by bodies like the National Council of Nonprofits and auditing practices consistent with guidance from the Government Accountability Office when engaging federal grants.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding derives from a combination of individual donations, corporate philanthropy, foundation grants, and fee-for-service contracts, with significant historic support from partners including the Pfizer Foundation, Genentech, and philanthropic trusts such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Strategic partnerships extend to healthcare systems like Kaiser Permanente and academic research centers including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and programmatic collaborations have involved advocacy organizations such as AARP and disease-specific groups like the American Brain Tumor Association. The organization has also received underwriting for programs and campaigns from major corporations and philanthropic families active in cancer philanthropy, aligning fundraising efforts with grant-making institutions such as the Kresge Foundation and policy-oriented groups like the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States Category:Cancer support organizations