GILDA’S CLUB LAUNCHES FREE BREAST CANCER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Gilda’s Club Westchester, in partnership with Pink Aid, has launched a Breast Cancer Support Services Program in Connecticut. The program consists of two components (phone distress screening and bi-lingual English/Spanish counseling) that can be accessed remotely by women who are breast cancer patients/survivors, and who reside in lower Fairfield County. These services are meant to reduce stress in cancer patients/survivors by improving their ability to cope with the challenges, fears and difficulties that accompany a breast cancer diagnosis and enable them to make more informed decisions.

On the first call with a bilingual clinician, a distress screening will be conducted via telephone. This distress-screening tool helps to identify the goals for counseling support for their individual concerns. The patient/survivor can then receive free, individual telephone counseling sessions with a bilingual (English/Spanish) mental health professional to help individuals with breast cancer reduce their level of stress, obtain needed information, and increase their ability to cope. Top concerns often include: financial/cost of cancer treatments, treatment options/decision making, and discussions with family members about their illness.

The number for Gilda’s Club’s bilingual telephone-based counseling services:

203-661-0476. Additionally, materials detailing the services are available at area hospitals and doctors’ offices.

Founded in 2001, the mission of Gilda’s Club Westchester is to create welcoming communities of free support for everyone living with cancer – men, women, teens and children – along with their families and friends. Our innovative programming is an essential complement to medical care, providing compassionate support through individual and family counseling, support groups, knowledge through lectures/workshops, and much-needed fellowship through social interaction.

Pink Aid’s mission is to help underserved local women survive breast cancer treatment with support and dignity, to provide screening to women in financial need, and to empower breast cancer survivors to heal by helping and inspiring others.