“The community is stronger than cancer” – The NAU Review

Everyone has been touched by cancer in one way or another. In the midst of a difficult experience, sometimes it helps to know that you are not alone. Providing psychosocial support to those affected, whether a patient, caregiver or loved one, is the goal of a new nonprofit in northern Arizona called Cancer Support Community Arizona (CSCAZ).

CSCAZ is the only non-profit organization in the state to provide free support services, programs and resources to people living with cancer at any stage. The organization will celebrate the grand opening of its new location in Flagstaff from October 8-9. The office was slated to open in 2020, but the opening was put on hold due to the pandemic, while awareness continued virtually. Of the nearly 14,400 remote visits to patients, survivors, families and caregivers in 2020, about 20% were from northern Arizona.

“With Coconino County Reports with cancer as the # 1 cause of death for area residents, we look forward to opening our doors to address the psychosocial and emotional needs of all those affected by cancer in northern Arizona ” , said Cindy payne, Faculty Member of the College of Education and Executive Director of Cancer Support Community Northern Arizona. “Having a physical presence in Flagstaff allows us to extend our services to families and caregivers in northern Arizona. “

After retiring from full-time work at NAU after 30 years, Payne continues to teach part-time in the Department of Educational Psychology. Wanting to stay busy, she applied for the position of executive director for the CSCAZ site in northern Arizona.

“I felt a tap on my shoulder to seize the opportunity to serve the northern Arizona community,” Payne said. “A cancer diagnosis can cripple both the patient, their family and loved ones, and our organization is entering this paralysis with life-affirming support groups, educational workshops, community social ties, components and healthy living resources and referrals, helping the affected family start breathing again and meeting the challenges that cancer offers.

Payne also saw this as an opportunity for NAU to partner up not only by opening its doors to the college community, but also by connecting to programs that require internships from their students to provide valuable experience in a purpose-built setting. non-profit. Students have the opportunity to serve as interns and support group facilitators, as well as help with the background operations of opening a new location.

When senior Kaitlyn mcwilliams needed an internship for her social work program, she knew she wanted to work with palliative care, medical or aging populations.

“With the pandemic, those internships were limited, but the intern supervisor said, ‘I think I have a place for you that would combine all of these populations,” ”said McWilliams. “I came for an interview at CSCAZ and I already felt welcome and at home. “

At a young age, McWilliams knew she wanted to work with people. At a science fair in sixth grade, she devised a project to test whether people could judge a real smile from a fake. Of all the participants, she was the only one with a perfect score. Finding social work made her feel like she had found her calling, and she knew it was the right solution from the moment she started the program.

McWilliams and Marie hald, another student intern from the NAU social work program, focused on preparatory work like getting to know the people at the agency, reaching out to the participant base and promoting the Grand Openness. Soon they will begin traveling to northern Arizona to share more information about CSCAZ’s services and programs. After the inauguration, they will host classes, conduct admission assessments and listen to people’s stories.

“This internship prepares me for success because I get the chance to apply the skills I learned in the classroom,” said Hald. “It’s critical that social work students practice in a real-world setting, because that’s where we learn and gain experience.

Hald was quickly introduced to grant writing, a skill that she believes will be extremely important to her career, especially if she works for a nonprofit organization. Her project is to become a therapist for children with cancer, so the internship at CSCAZ was perfectly aligned.

“Our main slogan says it all: ‘The community is stronger than cancer,’ she said. After receiving support from CSCAZ, approximately 96 percent of participants felt closer to the community and less isolated, an extremely important marker of success for the organization.

“A cancer diagnosis can be devastating, as anyone affected, from the patient to the caregiver, experiences feelings of fear, anxiety and helplessness,” said Debbie DiCarlo, Executive Director of CSCAZ. “While medical providers provide life-saving physical treatments, Cancer Support Community Arizona supports the emotional and social needs that accompany a cancer diagnosis.”

Full inaugural events calendar at CSCAZ’s new Flagstaff location (914 N. San Francisco Street) includes:

Friday October 8

• 2:30 p.m .: Expressive arts with Joy Kockerbeck (in person only)
• 3 p.m. to 6 p.m .: The Native American Cancer Prevention Partnership team will share information on cancer and cancer prevention (in person only)
• 3 p.m .: Breast Cancer Education by Dr. Kate Preston of Flagstaff Surgical Associates (in-person and virtual)
• 4 p.m .: Official inauguration ceremony (in person only at the front parking lot of the CSCAZ)
• 4:30 p.m .: Hypnotherapy for pain control education by Craig Meriwether, therapist (in person and virtual)
• 4:30 p.m .: Gentle Yoga led by Yogi Peri Miller (in person only)
• 5 p.m .: Tasty Food is Medicine presentation and food demonstration / tasting with Chef Chloe and registered dietitian Jay Sutliffe (in person only)

Saturday October 9

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m .: Tour with Dawn Wright for glittering body tattoos and other fun activities [in-person only]
• 9:30 a.m .: Gentle Yoga led by Yogi Peri Miller (in person only)
• 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m .: The Native American Cancer Prevention Partnership team will share information on cancer and cancer prevention (in person only)
• 10:30 a.m .: Bluntly Talking About Cancer: The Cost of Care by North Country Healthcare Educators Kimberly Gutierrez and Abby Sanchez (in person and virtually)
• 11 a.m .: Expressive art activity with Joy Kockerbeck (in person only)
• Noon: Anti-Cancer Living: Transform Your Life with the Mix of Six, presented by Cindy Payne, CYCAZ educator [in-person and virtual]
• 1 p.m .: Pain management hypnotherapy session led by therapist Craig Meriwether (in person only)

Registration for CSCAZ inauguration activities is compulsory. To register, visit www.cscaz.org/NAZ-Ouverture

For more information, customers can visit www.cscaz.org/NorthernArizona or call (928) 236-2333.

About the Arizona Cancer Support Community

Since 1999, Cancer Support Community Arizona (CSCAZ) has provided emotional and social support to anyone touched by cancer. The non-profit organization offers more than 100 free programs per month, including support groups, social activities, mind / body therapies, nutritional counseling and educational seminars specially designed to support cancer patients, their families and their caregivers. Most of Cancer Support Community Arizona’s programs are funded by individual and corporate donors. To learn more about CSCAZ, visit cscaz.org.