SITE

The Cancer Community Center supports and promotes the well being of people living with cancer and their families and friends.

Description:
The Cancer Community Center provides a warm and friendly place where people with cancer and their families and friends can come together to build social and emotional support as a complement to their regular medical care. The Center offers support groups, networking opportunities, a one-on-one peer support program, wellness programs, such as yoga, fitness and tai chi, informational sessions, a resource library and creative expression workshops, such as visual arts and writing. All activities are free of charge for adults who have cancer and their loved ones.

History:
Our founder, Jane Staley, realized for the first time the need for compassionate emotional support and information when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1994. Jane soon discovered that support services commonly available in other parts of the country were, at that time, non-existent in Maine. This realization motivated her to organize a steering committee in 1996, consisting of friends, business leaders, community leaders, oncology professionals and cancer survivors with a driven determination to establish a no-cost cancer support center dedicated to life and living. A steering committee conducted a comprehensive needs assessment, confirming the need for a support center in Maine, and established guidelines on program emphasis. After completing a successful capital campaign in just four months, locating and renovating space, and hiring an Executive Director, the CCC opened its doors in October of 1998. In November of 1999 a Strategic Plan was developed which articulated the Center's vision and mission, and now guides the Center's development, growth and operation. Today the Center, with its full-time staff of five and hundreds of volunteers, serves all adults living with cancer and their loved ones without referral and at no cost.

Contact person: Jani Druck, Manager Of Volunteer Services, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (207) 773-9498

Address:

778 Main Street South Portland, ME 04106 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.cancercommunitycenter.org

Directions:

From the north, take 295 South to Exit 3. Turn left at the light onto Westbrook Street. Travel to the second set of lights and turn right onto U.S. Routh 1 (Main Street.) Travel 1/4 mile to 778 Main Street.. . . (more) For maps or information, please see http://www.portlandmaine.worldweb.com/Transportation/PublicTransit

Miscellaneous Information

This agency has United Way funded programs
	No
The agency places volunteers in these categories:
	Physically disabled, Adults