Support Services and Resources

Fighting cancer goes beyond the physical treatments. That’s why we offer a full range of support services and resources to focus on your body, mind and spirit.

Support groups and classes

You’re never alone in your cancer journey. Find emotional support and learn more about your diagnosis with support groups and classes.

Resource centers

We offer free cancer resources to you and your family, and are open to everyone. Cancer Resource Centers offer access to online resources as well as a lending library of books, tapes, journals and other references for reliable, current health information and education. 

Our Cancer Resource Centers are located in:

Practical support services

We provide services to meet our cancer patients’ day-to-day needs, including:

• Basic needs:
  • Community food banks
  • Help with utility bills through Tacoma Public Utilities
  • Clothing and household items through the Salvation Army
   
• Medicine and medical supplies:
  • Financial assistance for health care and medication costs through HealthWell Foundation and Partnership for Prescription Assistance
  • Information about participating in clinical trials
   
• Personal needs:
  • Free makeup and skin care class with a licensed esthetician, oncology-trained
  • Free wigs, scarves, caps and other head coverings with a licensed cosmetologist
  • Help with transportation to and from medical appointments

Caregiver resources

Caregivers are often loved ones who provide physical and emotional care without pay. At Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we support caregivers so they are able to care for their loved ones with cancer.

Home health services

After you’ve left our outpatient centers, clinics or hospitals, we can continue to provide you with high-quality home health services.

Spiritual support

Chaplains in our Spiritual Care department serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week, comforting and providing emotional and spiritual support to those who are coping with grief or loss. Our chaplains minister on a non-sectarian basis to those whose churches may be far away or who don’t have a church affiliation.

Financial assistance

For those who are unable to pay the full cost of care, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health offers financial assistance. We work individually with patients to help establish an appropriate payment plan based on the amount due and their financial status. Learn about our financial assistance.

Doing online research for cancer diagnoses and care?

These days there are countless websites, social media accounts and mobile apps that offer information on cancer conditions and treatment. With all of the information out there, how do you know which sources are trustworthy?

Here are a few tips for determining if a source is trustworthy:

• Ask yourself who is behind the content. Do you know and trust them? Try to look for sources sponsored by government medical agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
• Does the site or app promise or offer something? Content that exists to sell something could be biased. And if the offer sounds too good to be true, it very well may be.
• Check if the information was reviewed by a medical professional and links out to articles from medical journals.
• Look for a post date. If the information was from more than three years ago, the information could be outdated.
• Verify the authenticity of the information. A “verified” badge next to a social media account or a similar symbol generally means that the person or entity is who they say they are. Only follow social media that were linked from a company’s official website.