Cancer Support & Survivorship
Services to care for your heart, mind and body
Programs that Offer Help for Cancer Patients
At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, we understand your cancer care requires more than just medical treatments alone. Healing requires a whole-body approach. That’s why we offer a wide range of holistic health and wellness options to address physical, emotional and mental needs.
Our cancer survivorship programs are for you, your family and other loved ones when you:
- Just receive a cancer diagnosis.
- Are in or have completed treatment.
- Are in remission.
Holistic, Multidisciplinary Approach to Cancer Care
As a cancer survivor, you have access to unique services through our multidisciplinary Survivorship Clinic. Your care involves much more than treatment of your cancer itself. We provide comprehensive care that includes both cancer treatments and supportive therapies, delivered by a collaborative team of clinicians.
In addition to an oncologist, your survivorship team includes:
- Registered dietician
- Behavioral oncologist
- Physical therapist
- Nurse navigator
The team provides dedicated services to ensure you are coping in healthy ways. We can intervene quickly when you have treatment-related side effects. We also give you the latest health-related research related to cancer survivorship and any ways to prevent second or recurrent cancers.
In addition, our nurse navigators are cancer navigators and patient advocates. They are highly experienced in ways to match you and your family with the supportive care services that would best benefit you. They can connect you with the resources you need: physical, emotional and financial.
More About Cancer Support & Survivorship
Our range of cancer support services includes:
- Cancer rehabilitation and lymphedema therapy
- Cardio-oncology program
- Fertility care and sexual health
- Financial guidance
- Home care program
- Hospice (end-of-life) care and grief counseling
- Mental health counseling
- Nutrition services
- Pain clinic for pain caused by cancer or its treatments
- Social work services to help with various daily living needs
- Spiritual care
- Prosthetic services
- Wound care
Palliative Care to Ease Your Symptoms
Palliative care is not the same as hospice. Palliative care is about extending your life and easing your symptoms, even if your cancer is a type that cannot yet be cured. Many people with incurable cancer live happy and productive lives for long periods of time. A cure could be found tomorrow for a cancer that may not be curable today.
The goal of our palliative care is to control your symptoms and maximize the quality of your life for as long as possible. Our compassionate teams are guided by your own personal goals and wishes.
Call us or ask your nurse navigator to connect you with palliative care services if you need them. They can refer you for home care and special help with daily living, if needed.
Survivorship Program: SEAL
All Lahey facilities participate in Survivorship Evaluation at Lahey (SEAL). It’s a comprehensive cancer care program that engages you as you begin your treatment plan and continues throughout your survivorship. The SEAL program refers you to certain rehab programs that can improve your satisfaction with treatment and the results of your care.
Lahey offers different cancer support groups in addition to individual and group therapy sessions for you and your loved ones. These classes are free and give you a warm and welcoming place to connect with other cancer survivors. We offer different group meetings for different types of cancers, including breast cancer and others.
Call the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345 to learn about other local support groups in your community.
LiveSTRONG at the YMCA
LiveSTRONG at the YMCA is offered through the North Suburban YMCA of Woburn. The class is tailored to the needs of cancer survivors during and after treatment. It can help you stay physically active while building supportive relationships with others. Evaluation of the program shows that participants improve cardiovascular endurance as well as flexibility, mobility and strength.
Read about other community-based programs.
At Lahey, our goal is to connect you to the best services to meet your needs. That includes many community programs that offer special services for people who’ve been diagnosed with cancer.
Wigs and More from A Caring Place
Winchester Hospital offers support and survivorship services to people with cancer through A Caring Place. It’s a retail store that carries wigs, prostheses, head coverings and more. Through our partnership, Winchester Hospital’s professionally trained staff is available to help you select the best products for your individual needs:
- Wigs and head coverings
- Shampoo and styling products
- Mastectomy products, such as bras, post-surgical camisoles and breast prosthesis
- Compression sleeves, stockings and bandages
Speak with helpful staff at A Caring Place by calling 781-756-5088.
Other Wig Suppliers
- American Cancer Society Wig Bank (free wigs): 800-227-2345
- Carolyn’s Wigs (Wakefield): 781-246-2818
- Hairmate Salon (Woburn): 781-938-0495
- New England Hair Illusions and Breast Form Clinic (Tyngsboro): 978-649-7228
- Nick George’s Hair Studio (Danvers): 978-750-8200
- The Women’s Image Center
- Leominster: 978-534-0200
- Worcester: 508-754-8705
For a complete list of suppliers, call the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345.
Breast Prostheses
Lahey’s breast cancer survivorship program offers more details about breast prostheses. In addition, you can access these resources:
- A Caring Place: 781-756-5088
- Lady Grace
- Malden: 781-322-1721
- Danvers: 978-774-7141
- New England Hair Illusions and Breast Form Clinic (Tyngsboro): 978-649-7228
- The Women’s Image Center
- Leominster: 978-534-0200
- Worcester: 508-754-8705
For a complete list of suppliers, call the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345.
Private Pay Home Care
- ABC Homecare: 781-665-0119
- Associated Home Care: 978-922-0745
- Best Home Care: 781-224-3600
- Metropolitan Home Care: 781-643-9115
- Minutewoman Home Care: 781-862-3300
- Partners Private Care: 617-267-5858
- Privatus: 617-275-4050
Senior Services
The following agencies can arrange for Meals on Wheels, household help, transportation and other senior services:
- Minuteman Senior Services: 781-272-7177 (serves Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Concord, Harvard, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, Wilmington, Winchester and Woburn)
- Mystic Valley Elder Services: 781-324-7705 (serves Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham and Wakefield)
- Greater Lynn Senior Services: 781-599-0110 (serves Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant, Saugus and Swampscott)
- Elder Services of Merrimack Valley: 978-683-7747 (for people aged 60 and older in many towns of the Merrimack Valley)
- North Shore Elder Services: 978-750-4540 (serves Danvers, Marblehead, Middleton, Peabody and Salem)
- Springwell: 617-926-4100 (serves Belmont, Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley and Weston)
- Massachusetts Elderline: 800-243-4636
- SHINE: 781-221-7029 (offers health insurance counseling for seniors)
Transportation
- American Cancer Society Road to Recovery Volunteer Driver Program: 800-227-2345 (ask for your local office)
- MBTA The Ride: 617-222-5123
- Lexpress (Lexington’s bus service): 781-861-1210
- Roadrunner (for residents in the Lowell Regional Transit area): 978-459-0152
- If you have MassHealth and need help with transportation: 781-744-8113
