What Can I Do?
Donate to research initiatives
Research is a critical need. Most charity money goes towards basic research and services for “awareness”. When you’re looking for charities to donate to, be sure that you’re donating to ones that are trying to find a cure.

 Help out someone you know who has cancer
“Let me know if I can do anything for you.” If you know someone with cancer, make sure to not ask how you can help them, but instead tell them how you plan to help them. Never put the burden of asking for help on the cancer patient.

Donate clothes to a chemo center
There are community oncologists everywhere accepting donations of blankets, hats, or scarves. You can change a patient’s life without even knowing them.

Drive people to chemo sessions
There are so many patients getting chemo who have nobody to drive them. You can leave flyers offering to do so, or post on a community bulletin board that you’re willing to help. You could also call a social worker to find out where the need is greatest.

Let them know they’re remembered
Even just writing cards and leaving them at chemo centers or hospital wards for cancer patients on holidays can be meaningful for somebody going through the most frightening time of their life.

Write your congressman
Changes in healthcare law have created confusion, and it is becoming harder for people with cancer to get medications, whether it be chemo or supportive medications. Necessary pain medications are now withheld, which can mean pain near the end of their lives. We need to change that.

Listen to cancer patients
Remember that when you speak to a cancer patient, they don’t necessarily feel like warriors or survivors; they don’t always want (or need) to have a positive attitude. And nothing they did, caused their cancer.
 

Local Resources: 

Bay Area Cancer Connections: Free mammograms and pap smears for women under 40 with limited income and insurance.

The Breast Center: At St. Joseph Health Regional Cancer Care's Breast Center, their team of clinical experts is passionate about preventing and treating breast cancer. The Breast Center provides nationally acclaimed care in a comfortable setting, close to home.

Kaiser Permanente Breast Care Center: The Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Breast Care Center is a comprehensive breast program dedicated to providing compassionate expert care.

Kaiser Permanente Cancer Support Group, Santa Rosa: 401 Bicentennial Way, MOB-East. Room E-3, 707-393-3229.

Northern California Breast & Cervical Cancer Partnership: Cancer Detection Programs, including free exams – call 800-511-2300.

Redwood Regional Medical Group: 121 Sotoyome St., Santa Rosa. 707-523-6623.

St. Joseph Health Regional Cancer Care Support Services: These classes are now available in several online formats through ZOOM, YouTube and in video format. Classes are designed to support patients in a community setting, through a variety of integrative therapies and modalities. All classes are open to all patients in our community, whether currently in treatment, having had cancer or living life with cancer.

Sutter Breast Cancer Support Groups: (Women, Spanish-speaking, Young Women): Sutter Warrick camppus, 2449 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-576-4760 or 707-523-7312.

Financial Assistance for Treatments:

American Cancer Society: 800 227-2345

Breast Cancer Emergency Fund: Helps people in need continue life-extending medical treatments, avoid utility shut-off, prevent eviction and maintain stable housing while they battle breast cancer.

Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition: CFAC is a coalition of financial assistance organizations joining forces to help cancer patients experience better health and well-being by limiting financial challenges. Search by zip code to find possible resources in your area.

The Pink Fund: Provides financial support to help meet basic needs, decrease stress levels and allow breast cancer patients to focus on healing while improving survivorship outcomes.

You Caring: An online forum to raise money for cancer treatment and living expenses while undergoing cancer treatment.