Cancer Support Groups

Our support group for patients with bladder cancer is held the first Monday of every month from 11 am - noon. This group is held in person for patients of Smilow Cancer Hospital that are recently diagnosed, actively in treatment, or have completed treatment for any type of bladder cancer. For more information, please contact Lori Roy, RN at 203-203-671-3491 or Crystal Batson-Jones, LMSW at 475-224-9658. 

Our support group for patients with blood cancers is open to patients of Smilow Cancer Hospital that have received a diagnosis of any type of blood cancer (including leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma). The group is held via Teams and focuses on sharing experiences, coping mechanisms, and treatment information. You can join us on the second Tuesday of every month at 1 pm. for more information, contact Mary Strauss, LCSW, OSW-C at 203-500-7434 for more information.

If you are a patient of Smilow Cancer Hospital that has received a diagnosis of any type of brain tumor, we encourage you to join us virtually via Teams on the third Monday of every month from 3 pm - 4:30 pm to share your story and hear from others regarding this journey. To learn more, contact Stefania Santinon, LMSW at 475-227-5068.

Please join us on the first Tuesday of each month from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm for our breast cancer support group. The group is held virtually via Teams and is open to patients of Smilow Cancer Hospital that have been diagnosed with any type of breast cancer and are at any stage in their care. To learn more, please contact Susanne Lee-Baldassini, LCSW at 475-224-8052.

Our support group for early onset cancers is open to anyone within Smilow Cancer Hospital that is between ages 18 – 49 that has been diagnosed with cancer. The group is held via Teams on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 12 - 1 pm. To learn more, contact Halley Robinson, LCSW at 475-209-6954.

This support group is designed for families and caregivers of individuals diagnosed with early onset cancer between the ages of 18 and 49. Participants may include spouses, partners, parents, adult children, and others in supportive roles. If you are a caregiver or supporter of someone diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 18 and 49, we invite you to join us virtually via Teams on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 4 pm. To learn more, please contact Mary Strauss, LCSW, OSW-C, at 203-500-7434.

Our esophageal cancer support group offers vital emotional support, practical advice on managing treatment side effects, and community for patients and caregivers receiving care at Smilow Cancer Hospital. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, please join us virtually via Teams on the third Friday of every month at 12:15 pm. To learn more, contact Shenell Charles, LCSW at 203-640-7268.  

Date/Time
3rd Thursday of the month at 1PM

Contact
475-227-4232

Date/Time
3rd Tuesday of the month at 2:30PM

Contact
475-227-4643

This support group is open to patients of Smilow Cancer Hospital that have been diagnosed with any type of head and neck cancer. Held virtually over Teams, this group provides a safe space to share your story, hear from others, and receive emotional support and guidance from our licensed social worker. Please join us on the fourth Thursday of every month from 4:00 - 5 pm. For more information, contact Kerry Lassen, LCSW at 203-645-9076.

Contact
Jessica Stein, LCSW
203-200-6358

David Zirlen, MS
203-785-5430

Loss of Spouse

Date/Time
3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:30PM

Contact
203-415-8940

Loss of Spouse (day)

Date/Time
Every other Tuesday of the month at 9:30AM

Contact
203-415-8940

This support group is open to patients of Smilow Cancer Hospital that have been diagnosed with any type of lung cancer. Held virtually via Teams, this group offers emotional support, treatment information, and coping strategies for patients and caregivers. Please join us on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 1 pm. For more information, contact Halley Robinson, LCSW at 475-209-6954.

Date/Time
TBD

Contact
Stefania Santinon, LMSW
475-227-5068

For patients that have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a support group can be an impactful part of the treatment plan. If you are a patient of Smilow Cancer Hospital and would like to join our support group, please contact Laura Donnelly, LCSW 203-368-8747.  This group is held virtually via Teams on the last Tuesday of every month at 5 pm.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with any type of neuroendocrine cancer (also known as NETs), you can join our support group virtually via Zoom on the second Thursday of every month at 1 pm. NETs are rare, and patients can benefit from a safe space to discuss the management and complexities of a rare cancer diagnosis. To learn more, contact Teresa DeNicholas, LCSW at 203-889-6735.

Our pancreatic cancer support group offers vital emotional support, practical advice on managing treatment side effects, and community for patients and caregivers receiving care at Smilow Cancer Hospital. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you can join us every Monday at 1:30 - 2:30pm virtually via Teams. To learn more, contact Laura Donnelly, LCSW at 203-368-8747.

Our support group for patients with prostate cancer is held virtually via Teams the first Wednesday of every month from 12 -1:30 pm. This group is for patients of Smilow Cancer Hospital that are recently diagnosed, actively in treatment, or have completed treatment for any type of prostate cancer. To learn more, please contact Stefania Santinon, LMSW 475-227-5068.

Contact
Mary Crooks, LCSW
203-200-6357

Contact
Katherine Hawthorne, RN
203-737-2036

Colleen Jannitto, RN
203-785-3446

Contacts
Angela Khairallah, LCSW
203-200-6360

Lisa Barbarotta, APRN
203-200-3278

Patient & Family Support

Date/Time
Tuesdays (except last of the month) at 4PM

Contact
203-215-2135

The general cancer support group meets virtually via Teams the third Wednesday of every month at 2 pm at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Orange. This group is open to patients that have been diagnosed with any type of cancer, at any point in their treatment. To learn more contact Jennifer Cohen, LCSW at 203-215-5208.

At Smilow Cancer Hospital at Trumbull, we feature two support groups: Women with Cancer and Men’s Cancer.

Our Women with Cancer group meets the second and fourth Monday of every month at 10 am and is open to women diagnosed with any type of cancer. To learn more contact 203-590-1759.

The Men’s Cancer group meets the second Wednesday of every month at 11 am and is open to men diagnosed with any type of cancer. To learn more contact 203-383-0425.

At Smilow Cancer Hospital at Saint Francis in Hartford, CT, Women’s Advanced Cancer group is held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 2 pm. This group is open to women that have been diagnosed with advanced (or metastatic) cancer. To learn more contact Cheryl Dostie, LCSW at 860-714-4731.

Breast Cancer
Jessica Stein, LCSW
203-200-6358

Date/Time
1st and 3rd of each month
Thursday 4pm via zoom

Contact
Mary Strauss, LCSW, OSW-C
203-500-7434

Date/Time
2nd Tuesday of the month at 1PM

Contact
203-415-8940