Support Groups & Educational Resources

We realize that although our staff members are highly specialized and committed to quality patient care, the best person to talk to about how you are feeling can often be another patient or their family member, as they have a personal understanding of the situation.

Leukemia/BMT patients, families and caregivers can arrange to talk to a volunteer who has had similar cancer experience. Volunteers are former patients or family members who have gone through similar treatment. Currently, two societies offer peer-to-peer support programs. If you would like to be connected with a peer, speak with your BMT social worker, visit the web sites below for more information or contact the programs directly at the numbers provided.

1. CancerConnection program offered by the Canadian Cancer Society, BC/Yukon Chapter. This program puts you in touch with a volunteer who has as much in common with you as possible, including the type of cancer you are experiencing, the course of treatment and lifestyle similarities. Click here to visit their web site or call toll-free 1-888-939-3333.
2. First Connection program offered by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, Western Canada Chapter. There are programs for patients or their caregivers. First Connection is a peer mentor support program that connects people who are newly-diagnosed or facing a new treatment with someone who has faced a similar situation. Click here to visit their web site or call 604-733-2873 or toll-free 1-866-547-5433.

The BC Cancer Agency offers a number of support groups in Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and Kelowna. The support groups are offered in their respective communities. Groups include:

• Lymphoma Support Group
• Chinese Cancer Support
• Mindfulness & Stress Reduction/Relaxation
• Therapeutic Touch
• Lesbian/Bisexual Support
• The Children’s Club offers art and music therapy for children whose parent or relative has cancer.

For more information, visit BC Cancer Agency web site or speak with your BMT social worker.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada offers many other support and educational resources. The Western Canada Chapter is located in Vancouver, BC.

Click here to visit the Western Canada Chapter web site. You can also contact them toll-free 1-866-547-5433.

All LLS of Canada patient services programs are provided free of charge, including:

• Comprehensive printed materials regarding the various blood cancers, their treatments and related topics such as effects of cancer treatment, fertility, clinical trials, fatigue, pain management and nutrition
• In-person education programs
• Telephone education sessions. Past sessions are archived on their web site (Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of Canada)
• One-to-one consultation and assistance to find information and support services within their organization or the larger community
• Family Support Groups. These are in-person or telephone support groups to share information and support with others affected by blood cancer
• Connection to other people with blood cancer and their families through online chat groups or online support groups
• The Information Resource Centre. Located in New York, this is a phone service program that provide patients with the latest information about blood cancers and their treatments. Staff at the Information Resource Centre are multi-lingual and can access a translator service of over 140 languages. Call this service toll-free at 1-800-955-4572.

In addition to the CancerConnection peer support program mentioned above, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) also offers a professional helpline, a community service database, and more. Additional information can be found here.

The CML Society of Canada is based in Quebec. Click here to visit their web site You can also contact them toll-free 1-866-931-5165 or email them at info@cmlsociety.org

• Myeloma Canada offers both a support group and mentor program for patients with multiple myeloma. For more information, visit Myeloma Canada Support
• Vancouver Multiple Myeloma Support Group is based in Victoria. The group was formed to offer awareness, education, and assistance to all those touched by myeloma, sharing information, concerns, and successes. For more information, visit Vancouver Multiple Myeloma Support Group

The Callanish Society is a Vancouver-based small grassroots non-profit organization “dedicated to improving the emotional and spiritual health of our communities by assisting families with cancer, and their health care providers, to explore illness and/or death openly and consciously.”

Visit their web site www.callanish.org. Email them at info@callanish.org or phone 604-732-0633.

Located in Vancouver, InspireHealth is Canada’s foremost integrated cancer care center. They focus on guiding patients to integrate research-informed natural approaches to health into their cancer treatment and recovery. Programs include exercise and movement, nutrition and cooking, stress reduction and counselling, cancer education and caregiver support workshops

Visit their web site www.inspirehealth.ca. Email them at info@inspirehealth.ca or phone 1-888-734-7125

InspireHealth islocated at #200-1330 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6H 4A6

• The Callanish Society in Vancouver offers week-long retreats and ongoing support programs such as Strength Within, Creativity & Healing and Meditation. Visit their web site www.callanish.org. Email them at info@callanish.org or phone 604-732-0633.
• Young Adult Cancer Canada, formerly known as RealTime Cancer, is an internet community for young adults to “connect, share their sh*t and support one another”. Visit their web site www.youngadultcancer.ca. Email them at connect@youngadultcancer.ca or phone toll-free 1-877-571-7325.
• Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults offers information that specifically addresses the unique needs young adults dealing with cancer. Visit their web site www.ulmanfund.org.
• Stupid Cancer is a fantastic and humorous online support group for young adults that deal with issues that patients are often too embarrassed to ask or talk about. Visit their web site www.stupidcancer.org.
• Group Loop is an online support network geared specifically for teens. It is a “safe place for teens with cancer and their parents to build an online community to find support, education and hope while dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Visit their web site http://www.grouploop.org/.