Duke Cancer Patient Support Program’s (DCPSP) counseling staff, a trained part of the medical team, is available to help patients and family members cope with the psychosocial aspects of cancer.

DCPSP currently offers the following support services:

• Family, couples, and individual counseling
• Support groups

Support Groups

When facing a chronic disease, patients, families, and friends need all the emotional help they can get.

Cancer can isolate patients from loved ones and can strain relationships. This is where support groups help.

Studies show that those who participate in support groups have much less anxiety, depression, and pain than those who do not attend groups.

Support groups allow patients, families, and friends an opportunity to express fears and concerns in an open, supportive environment. An important part of recovery is receiving support from others who have been through a similar experience and, likewise, sharing your experience with those in treatment. It can be very reassuring to find that others share similar feelings.

The Duke Cancer Patient Support Program (DCPSP) offers several support groups in the hospital and in the outpatient clinics for Duke patients and those treated elsewhere in the community. Groups are facilitated by trained counselors and provide ongoing emotional support for patients and loved ones.

All information expressed in the group is private, and members are not pressured to share feelings unless they wish to.

Please call 919-684-4497 before coming to a support group for the first time.

Click a support group name to scroll down the page to more information.

• Breast Cancer Support Group
• Gynecologic & Breast Cancer Support Group
• Gastrointestinal & Pancreatic Cancer Support Group
• KidsCan! Support Group
• Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma Support Group
• Look Good...Feel Better® Program
• Lung Cancer Support Group
• Prostate Cancer Support Group

Breast Cancer Support Group

For women with breast cancer. Everyone’s situation is unique. Often, however, there are feelings that are shared, and women frequently find that members of the group help them to confront and accept their fears and regain the joy in living.

This group meets:
1st Wednesday of the month
2nd Tuesday of the month

Gynecologic & Breast Cancer Support Group

This group provides an opportunity for women diagnosed with a gynecologic or breast cancer to come together to share their experiences and their strength.

3rd Wednesday of the month

For further information, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu.

Gastrointestinal & Pancreatic Cancer Support Group

This group is for patients and their family members coping with gastrointestinal or pancreatic cancer. This is an opportunity to discuss and share feelings and coping strategies with others going through a similar experience.

Every Tuesday

For further information, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu.

KidsCan! Support Group

KidsCan! is designed to support children ages six through 17 who have a parent or significant caregiver with the diagnosis of cancer. They will have the opportunity to meet with other children going through a similar experience.

2nd Monday of the month

For location, further information, or to register for this group, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu.

The KidsCan! Program has been made possible by a generous donation from the Holt Foundation.

Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma Support Group

The Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma Support Group is for patients and their families. This is an opportunity to discuss and share feelings and coping strategies with others going through a similar experience.

3rd Monday of the month

For further information, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu.

Look Good...Feel Better® Program

Look Good...Feel Better® is a free, national public service program of the American Cancer Society dedicated to teaching women how to cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.

3rd Monday of the month

For directions, further information, or to register for this group, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu.

Lung Cancer Support Group

This group is for patients and family members.

Every Thursday

For time, location, or further information on the group, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu.

Prostate Cancer Support Group

For men with prostate cancer and their partners. This is an opportunity to meet other men and their partners who are coping with prostate cancer. The emotional impact of this disease on the individual and his partner is discussed. Many of these meetings include speakers who provide information about various aspects of the disease.

4th Thursday of the month

For further information, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail CancerSupport@mc.duke.edu

Counselors

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke University Hospital
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710
• Morris Cancer Clinic
  Morris Building, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710