At the 66th Annual Meeting last fall in Washington, DC, two organizations based in the Washington, DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) region, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts and Touch4Life, received a $12,500 Survivor Circle Grant. Both organizations shared with ASTRO how their respective organizations have further advanced their missions since receiving the grant last fall.
Based in Maryland, Touch4Life applied the grant toward supporting a Volunteer Coordinator. The Volunteer Coordinator has helped establish a schedule to participate in health fairs, and to sponsor health information forums on cancer in communities and with community partners that will increase the health IQ of participants. In addition, the Volunteer Coordinator has developed comprehensive onboarding materials tailored for individual volunteers at health fairs and workshops. These resources equip volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively engage with participants and promote understanding of cancer biomarkers and other marker-driven diseases. The onboarding process ensures that volunteers are well-prepared to contribute meaningfully to Touch4Life’s mission, increasing health literacy and access to essential health services. Another key task the Volunteer Coordinator has undertaken is to conduct research into mobile breast screening units. This initiative is part of strategic planning for the fourth quarter, aimed at improving delivery of services to the community. By exploring options for mobile screening, Touch4Life aims to enhance accessibility and provide vital health services to underserved populations.
Touch4Life events
In Washington, DC, bolstered by the grant, Smith Center has been able to continue their offerings of robust and varied cancer support programs, including groups for Black Women with Breast Cancer, Young Adults with Cancer, LGBTQ cancer survivors, and those who have suffered the Loss of a Loved One. Over the 2024 calendar year, their Cancer Support Programs served 1,000 unique individuals through 6,875 visits — a 23% increase over the previous year. Their 2024 evaluation revealed high attendee satisfaction with the programs and facilitators, and that the groups increased knowledge and skills, helped attendees on their cancer journey, and increased community connections. Their two-to-ten-week program series for small groups are consistently in high demand, with program titles such as Mind Body Stress Reduction (MBSR), Survivorship 101, and Holistic Pain Management. Newer programs center around Advancing Antiracist Patient Engagement in Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, Talking with Kids About Cancer, and Navigating the Cost of Breast Cancer.
The most important concern Smith Center currently faces is how to sustain their current offering of programs while establishing a durable funding base for them. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, programs have experienced unprecedented growth and expanded reach but not the funding to expand internal staffing and resources. Some testimonials from Cancer Support Program demonstrate their ongoing impact:
“Through the programming offered by the Smith Center (all free of charge/donation-based), I have begun writing for pleasure again and have subsequently found a cancer support group that doesn't make me feel like a cancer patient." -Creativity Program Participant
"That was so amazing. Thanks much for hosting and creating the space I definitely needed tonight! Appreciate the affirmations and validations I received. I haven’t been able to feel the “look forward” emotion for a while (I think from having had to cancel so many things last year that I was excited about and now just not trusting that it won’t again be taken away, just kinda numb there for now.), but I am grateful to have the opportunity next month to be in this space again." - Young Adult Cancer Survivor Group Participant
Smith Center for Healing and the Arts and Touch4Life have widened their impact in the DMV thanks to the financial boost provided by the Survivor Circle Grant. ASTRO similarly intends to reach the California region this September by awarding two grants to cancer patient support organizations from the San Francisco Bay area during the Annual Meeting. Stay tuned for announcement of the recipients in future publications and visit the Survivor Circle booth at the Annual Meeting to learn more about the two California-area organizations.
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