Here for You
Our compassionate support staff offers well-rounded services for your body, mind and spirit.
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:
St. Anne Cancer Center
16233 Sylvester Road Southwest
Suite 110
Burien, WA 98166
206-901-8900
St. Michael Cancer Center
1900 Northwest Myhre Road
Silverdale, WA 98383
564-240-3100
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health Cancer Care at St. Joseph Medical Center
1717 South J Street
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-426-6810
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.
Cancer Care
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Cancer Resource Center
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