Cancer support & social services

Across Aurora Health Care, there’s more to your personalized recovery plan than just the latest, most effective treatment options. Whether it’s by providing palliative care or connecting you to social services, we treat the health of your body, mind and spirit.

What is cancer support?

Cancer support is a holistic approach to care that balances cancer treatments with other services, like palliative care for pain relief and counseling or support groups to strengthen your spirit. We’ll help you find cancer support services that work best for you, both at Aurora and within the community.

We offer:

• Financial and legal advice: Financial counselors help you understand your health insurance, medical costs and payment options. Advisors can also help you create an advance directive explaining what you want from treatment. Learn more about financial and legal issues.
• Cancer nurse navigator: Given the complexity of cancer care, it’s essential to have an advocate. The same nurse navigator works with you the whole time, explaining what to expect, coordinating your care and serving as a main point of contact. Learn more about cancer nurse navigators.
• Social services: Many people receiving cancer care have questions about work, finances, health insurance and community resources. Our social workers can help you find answers and provide the support you need.

Palliative care for cancer support

Palliative care is provided by your cancer specialists to relieve your pain and address your needs while managing your serious or chronic illness. Palliative care may be offered to anyone with a life-threatening or serious illness and may be considered at any point after your diagnosis. It's especially beneficial if you’re experiencing new symptoms, have needed frequent visits with your doctor or have made several trips to the emergency department.

Patient-focused cancer support services

Cancer treatment can present its own physical and mental challenges. At Aurora, you have access to a range of services designed to protect your health and keep your spirits up:

• Art therapy: Making art can reduce stress, encourage pain relief and help process emotional experiences. Licensed, professional art therapists can guide you and your loved ones through a variety of programs. Learn more about art therapy.
• Dietary counseling: Some treatments effectively target cancer but ruin your appetite or make it harder to absorb nutrients. Keep your energy up with crafted cancer diets that meet your needs and preferences.
• Home care: When needed, nurses can visit you at home to help with your care. Learn more about Aurora Health at Home.
• Integrative care: You can address stress, pain, fatigue and nerve damage with holistic or complementary techniques, many of them backed by strong evidence. Options include acupuncture, massage therapy and reiki. Learn more about integrative cancer care.
• Rehabilitation: Physical, occupational and speech therapists help you recover after surgery. They also help prevent or treat side effects from other treatments. Evidence shows that such care can reduce pain, improve mobility and increase strength. Learn more about rehabilitation and therapy.

Find counseling or join a cancer support community

Your cancer diagnosis can change how you see yourself, affect your relationships and disrupt your plans for the future. Whether you’re a patient or a cancer survivor, you may find comfort in talking with a professional counselor or support group.

Cancer support community options include:

• Counseling: Cancer can take a toll on your mental health, spiritual outlook and relationships. You can choose to meet with a counselor one-on-one, with loved ones or in groups of people with similar experiences. Learn more about cancer counseling.
• Spiritual care: Spirituality can provide great strength during cancer care. Our chaplains work with people of all faiths and beliefs. You and your loved ones can seek spiritual support and get help working through emotional and ethical challenges.
• Support groups: You and your loved ones can participate in a range of support groups. Some groups take a broad approach, while others focus on a particular cancer or a theme such as art, exercise or caregiving. Find a support group.

Social services for cancer survivors

Completing cancer treatment can trigger a new set of reactions, including guilt about your survivorship and worries your cancer may return. Some side effects may also develop after you finish treatment.

Learn more about the medical and emotional care for cancer survivors we offer.

Where to find social services for cancer support outside of Aurora Health Care

In addition to your cancer team, many websites run by other groups can provide insight and encouragement on living with cancer:

General

• CancerCare
• LIVESTRONG

Fertility

• MyOncofertility

Finances and insurance

• Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition
• Patient Advocate Foundation

Legal and Workplace Issues

• Cancer and Careers
• Cancer Legal Resource Center
• Job Accommodation Network

Survivorship

• American Cancer Society: Cancer Survivors Network
• National Cancer Institute: Office of Cancer Survivorship
• National Cancer Institute: Facing forward – life after cancer treatment [PDF]
• National Cancer Institute: When someone you love has completed cancer treatment
• National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

Find your clinic

With 19 Aurora cancer clinics, you can find top care near you.

Find a cancer clinic

Follow cancer news

Get the latest updates on cancer care when you read the Aurora Connection newsletter.