Fighting Chance is America's oldest and largest free cancer counseling center that operates on a regional basis, in our case the Eastern End of Long Island, which is about 600 square miles and largely semi-rural. Because of our regional service model, we can (and do) have a walk-in office in Sag Harbor where patients will find "boots on the ground."
That means licensed health care professionals - including a clinical psychologist and oncology social workers - who can meet with the patient in person. In person counseling is the "gold standard" when helping a newly-diagnosed cancer patient cope with the negative psychological effects of cancer that include hyper-anxiety, depression, insecurity, and sleeplessness.
In-person counseling is better, by far, than telephone calls, email counseling, chat rooms, or the use of two-way videos. As of 2019, Fighting Chance has added a second patient counseling office within the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Phillips Family Cancer Center to facilitate the ongoing need for our free cancer counseling services.
That means licensed health care professionals - including a clinical psychologist and oncology social workers - who can meet with the patient in person. In person counseling is the "gold standard" when helping a newly-diagnosed cancer patient cope with the negative psychological effects of cancer that include hyper-anxiety, depression, insecurity, and sleeplessness.
In-person counseling is better, by far, than telephone calls, email counseling, chat rooms, or the use of two-way videos. As of 2019, Fighting Chance has added a second patient counseling office within the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Phillips Family Cancer Center to facilitate the ongoing need for our free cancer counseling services.
Services
Most cancer counseling today takes place over the Internet.
Scores of charities offer advice via emails, texting and chat rooms.
Fighting Chance is different.
We emphasize a "boots on the ground" approach, meaning our counselors are all in a central office where you can visit them for face-to-face discussion.
Our model also emphasizes a regional service area, the Eastern End of Long Island, comprising some 600 square miles.
But within that area, our counselors know every village and hamlet and have grass roots intelligence about locating the hard-to-find resources patients may need.
Scores of charities offer advice via emails, texting and chat rooms.
Fighting Chance is different.
We emphasize a "boots on the ground" approach, meaning our counselors are all in a central office where you can visit them for face-to-face discussion.
Our model also emphasizes a regional service area, the Eastern End of Long Island, comprising some 600 square miles.
But within that area, our counselors know every village and hamlet and have grass roots intelligence about locating the hard-to-find resources patients may need.
PATIENT & COUNSELOR This is the most common format, especially during the initial sessions at Fighting Chance.
Meetings typically are in the counselor's private office and last 45 minutes.
The service is free of charge.
PATIENT & COUNSELOR & CAREGIVER The main caregiver - usually a patient's spouse or adult child - can be subjected to enormous stress during a cancer journey and may have contentious moments with the patient as well.
Consequently, we often ask the caregiver to join the counseling progress, or sometimes, they receive their own one-on-one sessions with a counselor.
Meetings typically are in the counselor's private office and last 45 minutes.
The service is free of charge.
PATIENT & COUNSELOR & CAREGIVER The main caregiver - usually a patient's spouse or adult child - can be subjected to enormous stress during a cancer journey and may have contentious moments with the patient as well.
Consequently, we often ask the caregiver to join the counseling progress, or sometimes, they receive their own one-on-one sessions with a counselor.
According to the best data available - we estimate - about 200 Latinos are diagnosed with cancer each year on the East End.
At Fighting Chance we decided to create some form of outreach and counseling to the souls whose English language skills are limited.
Today, after months of effort, Fighting Chance supervises a monthly support group for Latinos with cancer.
It is held at the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation on Pantigo Road.
For more information call our office at 631 725 4646.
At Fighting Chance we decided to create some form of outreach and counseling to the souls whose English language skills are limited.
Today, after months of effort, Fighting Chance supervises a monthly support group for Latinos with cancer.
It is held at the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation on Pantigo Road.
For more information call our office at 631 725 4646.
Our Cancer Resource Directory offers a list of names and addresses tailored and curated for those living and battling cancer on the east end of Long Island.
It contains helpful contact information for every phase of the Cancer Journey.
Please refer to the Tips & Strategies page for contextual information and additional advice.
Both sections are updated annually so all the information is current.
The cancer journey will be much easier when you can prepare for the next challenge around the bend and not feel ambushed by the unexpected.
It contains helpful contact information for every phase of the Cancer Journey.
Please refer to the Tips & Strategies page for contextual information and additional advice.
Both sections are updated annually so all the information is current.
The cancer journey will be much easier when you can prepare for the next challenge around the bend and not feel ambushed by the unexpected.
Knowing how to navigate through a bureaucracy is a craft learned from years of experience.
A good navigator gets to know many of the players on a first name basis.
They do the occasional favor, but expect a small favor in return.
For those about to embark on a cancer journey remember that your therapy will not take just a few days, or even a couple of weeks.
You will be in and out of medical centers for months.
You'll see enough paperwork to get dizzy, or you could get a Patient Navigator and let them cut right through it.
A good navigator gets to know many of the players on a first name basis.
They do the occasional favor, but expect a small favor in return.
For those about to embark on a cancer journey remember that your therapy will not take just a few days, or even a couple of weeks.
You will be in and out of medical centers for months.
You'll see enough paperwork to get dizzy, or you could get a Patient Navigator and let them cut right through it.
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