Support

2.1.1: 2-1-1 provides free, confidential information and referrals to support services, including food banks, counseling, health care, financial assistance programs and more.

8 Ways To Better Support Someone Dealing with Cancer: A survivor explains 8 ways to support a friend or loved one with cancer. 

American Cancer Society – Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: This series of guides offers extensive information on helping children understand and deal with a family member’s cancer.

American Cancer Society – Caregiver Support: A cancer diagnosis affects close friends and family too. Find out what to expect as a caregiver for a person with cancer, and get tips for making sure that you take care of yourself as well.

Association of Oncology Social Work: This website provides cancer support information, links to various resources, and a searchable directory of local oncology social workers who can address the emotional needs of survivors.

Baton Rouge General Pennington Cancer Center: The Cancer Center in Baton Rouge offers two events, a Cancer Wellness program to provide insight along the cancer journey, and a Lymphedema Support Group for educational and emotional support. Check out their calendar of events to sign up for one of their free programs.

BeauBeau: These fashionable head scarves are designed for women suffering from hair loss due to chemotherapy or other medical conditions.

Camp Bluebird: Houma: Camp Bluebird is a three-day, two-night retreat camp designed for adult cancer patients. It offers patients education, support, and encouragement in living life after a cancer diagnosis. Camps are held at a few places around the state: Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Houma.

Camp Bluebird: Lafayette: Camp Bluebird is a three-day, two-night retreat camp designed for adult cancer patients. It offers patients education, support, and encouragement in living life after a cancer diagnosis. Camps are held at a few places around the state: Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Houma.

Camp Bluebird: Lake Charles: Camp Bluebird is a three-day, two-night retreat camp designed for adult cancer patients. It offers patients education, support, and encouragement in living life after a cancer diagnosis. Camps are held at a few places around the state: Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Houma.

Cancer Care Support Groups: They offer online, over the phone, and face to face support groups for patients and caregivers on numerous topics such as therapeutic writing, young adult survivorship and LGBT communities.

CancerConnect: CancerConnect provides members with opportunities to participate in discussions, share information, and provide support to others affected by cancer. The website offers informational videos, daily cancer news, online cancer resources, and a state-by-state directory of financial resources.

Cancer.Net: The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s patient information website, Cancer.Net, provides educational resources and oncologist-approved information on more than 125 types of cancer. Information on genetics, clinical trials, coping, sexual and reproductive health, survivorship, advocacy, cancer in young adults and more. The website features a number of publications and resources, and podcasts, videos, virtual lectures, and medical illustrations.

Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge: This Baton Rouge agency provides numerous classes, support groups, counseling, and assistance programs for cancer patients. They have a monthly speaker series called Cancer 101 that meets every 4th Thursday, a breast cancer support group that meets every 3rd Wednesday, and they even have exercise classes for cancer survivors!

Cancer Support Community: Cancer Support Community (CSC) is an international organization that provides support and education to those affected by cancer. CSC offers online support groups, discussion boards, financial advice and planning tools, and a toll-free cancer support helpline. Members can also create their own personal webpages.

Cancer Survivors Network: Created by and for cancer survivors, the Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a web-based support service. Anyone personally impacted by cancer is welcome to join this online community. Read dozens of discussions and stories, find and connect with others like yourself, and much more.

CaringBridge: This social network allows uses to create free websites to keep family and friends updated during a health event. The website also provides a calendar, the SupportPlanner, where caregivers can coordinate and organize tasks.

Celebration Hope Center: This counseling center offers individual, family and group counseling to those who may be struggling with addictions, mental health, or life issues. Limited opportunities are available for counseling at a reduced price using a sliding scale based on household income.

Chemocare.com: Chemocare.com provides information on chemotherapy, chemotherapy drugs, managing side effects and more. Survivor stories, resources, and information on menopause, sexuality, and cognitive issues are available online.

Chemo Beanies: This is a family-owned business started by two sisters who were diagnosed with breast cancer. As a way to cope with hair loss, the sisters created slip-on head covers as an alternative to caps and scarves.

Chemo Fashion Scarf: This company specializes in providing head coverings for women undergoing hair loss. All items are either pre-formed or pre-tied for easy wear. They also offer a huge selection of scarves, hats, multi-use caps, warm/cold weather styles and more.

Children’s Treehouse Foundation: The Children’s Treehouse Foundation trains cancer hospitals and centers to provide a support group program for the young children of parents with cancer. They provide two training books for parents and children coping with a parent’s cancer diagnosis, which can be purchased online for use at home.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center of New Orleans: This New Orleans therapy center provides specialized cancer counseling for both patients and caregivers.

Crisis Intervention Center: This Baton Rouge Center provides free and confidential crisis counseling 24 hours a day by phone, text, and chat services.

DailyStrength: DailyStrength is a free and anonymous online support community. They have 27 cancer online support groups.

East Jefferson General Hospital: This New Orleans area hospital offers a breast cancer support group on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, and an exercise program specifically for cancer survivors that meets 3 times a week for 6 weeks. There is even Yoga for Cancer program for current cancer patients.

East Jefferson YMCA: Located in Metairie, this 12-week program, offered at little to no cost, is designed to help survivors improve their strength and quality of life.

Family Service of Greater Baton Rouge: Located in Baton Rouge, this agency provides counseling to children and families at an affordable cost. Fees per session are assessed on sliding scale based on income.

Hope for Two: The Pregnant with Cancer Network: This network offers support for women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy. Women are connected with a “support woman” who has also experienced cancer during pregnancy, to provide support over the phone and through e-mail.

Imerman Angels: This non-profit connects you with a survivor who went through a similar type of cancer and experience to help provide emotional support. They will also connect caregivers in similar situations – so cool!

LIVESTRONG: This program offers education programs, financial assistance, support, a fertility resource guide, and cancer and fertility news. Their website also helps cancer survivors find fertility treatment centers in their area.

Louisiana Breast and Cervical Health Program: The LBCHP provides no-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings (including mammograms and Pap tests) to Louisiana women who qualify.

Kids Konnected: Kids Konnected provides friendship, understanding, education and support for kids and teens who have a parent with cancer or have lost a parent with cancer. They provide kids and teens summer camps, a support hotline, online toolkits, and more!

Lacuna Loft: Lacuna Loft is a nonprofit that encourages, empowers, and connects young adult cancer survivors and caregivers around the world, 24/7. Lacuna Loft provides online wellness support programs and resources, lifestyle encouragement, and peer support community.

Latinas Contra Cancer: Cancer-related health education, patient navigation and psychosocial family support group services for underserved and low-income Spanish-speaking families. Resources are offered in English and en Espanol.

Look Good…Feel Better: Look Good . . . Feel Better is a program that teaches cancer survivors about skin care, hair care and wigs, makeup application techniques, and nail care. The website features step-by-step instructions for each topic and they have a 24 hour hotline. Search for programming near you!

LympheDudes: This online store creates graduated medical compression apparel to help the modern man manage his lymphedema without sacrificing his individuality.

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center: Baton Rouge, Houma, Covington: Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center offers a variety of support groups ranging from self image, friends and family, educational, life after cancer, etc. These groups are free and open to the public. The groups are held in a few places around the state: Baton Rouge, Covington, and Houma.

Meal Train: Nutrition is essential during cancer treatment. MealTrain.com provides an easy-to-use, shared online calendar that friends and family of cancer survivors can use to coordinate meal delivery!

Miles Perret Cancer Services: This resource center in Lafayette offers two support groups, art classes, pilates & yoga, and other group exercise classes at the wellness center for patients in Acadia, Avoyelles, Evangeline,Iberia, Jeff Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion Parishes.

My Cancer Circle: This free, private support tool coordinates the efforts of family, friends, and volunteers to more efficiently support patients and caregivers. Caregiving communities can access a shared calendar, vital information, message boards, and more!

My Life Line: support@mylifeline.org

This online support community allows cancer patients and caregivers to foster connections with others through free, personalized websites.

My Oncofertillity: This resource offers information and tools to educate cancer survivors about fertility preservation options. Animations, videos, resources, and links to support services are available on the website.

National LGBT Cancer Network: Information on cancer risk within the LGBT community, and training for healthcare providers and advocates for LGBT survivors. The website features a list of LGBT-friendly cancer screening facilities throughout the United States.

Ochsner Health System: Ochsner Health System offers support groups and events, such as healing yoga, a knitting group, and a chemotherapy class. All of these classes are offered at various locations. Check out their calendar that’s updated monthly to find an event near you.

Oncofertility Consortium: You can find fertility education and resources for cancer survivors and the newly diagnosed on this site. Resources include patient navigation for those who wish to undergo fertility treatment before or during cancer treatment, and the Fertility Preservation hotline, which helps cancer survivors find fertility preservation programs near them.

Patient Resource LLC: Patient Resource, LLC provides free comprehensive cancer resource guides. The website features information by cancer type, survivorship stories, blogs, financial and advocacy resources, and more.

ReproTech, Ltd: This company offers long-term storage for reproductive tissue collected by their network of providers. Their website features information and videos on fertility preservation specifically for cancer patients.

Sephora Brave Beauty: Sephora hosts 90 minute Classes for Confidence to help cancer survivors look and feel their best! These classes are hosted at Sephora locations across the nation.

Slidell Memorial Hospital: Located on the Northshore, they feature a number of support groups and exercise classes such as Caregiver Connection, Women Warriors, Living with Cancer, yoga, and zumba. groups. All support groups and exercise classes are free and open to all cancer patients.”

Stupid Cancer: Stupid Cancer’s mission is to empower those affected by young adult cancer. The foundation provides age-appropriate resources and support services nationwide. The website lists young adult organizations, and the forums discuss topics such as education and careers, health and wellness, and relationships.

SuperBetter: SuperBetter is a tool created by game designers to help people get through mental or physical illness or provide motivation to accomplish a goal. The app is available for iPhones & Android-based devices, as well as on your web browser.

Survive Dat: The Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs (LCP) and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center partnered to launch SurviveDAT, an online resource for young breast cancer patients and caregivers. SurviveDAT is a place where young breast cancer patients can gain access to local support groups, health information and more – all tailored to their specific needs.

Telling Kids About Cancer: Telling children about a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for any parent. This website provides tips for talking to kids of different age groups, and even offers a conversation guide where parents can plan conversations with their children ahead of time.

Thomas and McMahan Cancer Foundation: The Thomas and McMahan Cancer Foundation offers supportive services for better quality of life for people with cancers in the New Orleans and Northshore areas. Some of these services they offer include meal, transportation, sitters and yoga classes.

WhatNext: WhatNext allows users share their journey and access thousands of experiences others have shared. Experiences can be filtered by condition, role, cancer stage, age, and location, allowing individuals to connect with others on a similar path, find useful resources and ask questions.