Hopewell Cancer Support Inc

. SINCE 1993, HOPEWELL HAS BEEN CHANGING PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE OF CANCER BY ADDRESSING ITS NON-MEDICAL BUT EQUALLY CHALLENGING EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND PHYSICAL SIDE EFFECTS THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF ALWAYS-FREE SUPPORT GROUPS AND MIND BODY SPIRIT PROGRAMS.THE MID-MARCH 2020 DAY WE CLOSED OUR CAMPUS TO IN-PERSON GROUPS AND CLASSES MARKED THE BEGINNING OF OUR RAPID AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO FULLY VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING SERVING ADULTS WITH CANCER AND THEIR FAMILIES, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND TEENS, AND CAREGIVERS.

HOPEWELL CONTINUES TO OFFER A BROAD AND DEEP MENU OF EVER-EVOLVING PSYCHOSOCIAL PROGRAMS, FREE OF CHARGE. PROVIDED IN-PERSON FOR 27 YEARS, ALL HOPEWELL PROGRAMMING BECAME VIRTUAL BEGINNING IN MID-MARCH 2020 IN LIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC. IT IS OUR FULL EXPECTATION TO OFFER ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS VIRTUALLY UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO RETURN TO HOPEWELL.HOPEWELL'S INCOME SOURCES HAVE TYPICALLY FOLLOWED THIS PATTERN: INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS 57%, FOUNDATION AND CORPORATE GIFTS, GRANTS, AND SPONSORSHIPS 42%, AND OTHER INCOME 1%. THIS REVENUE SUPPORTS ALL PROGRAMMING (76%), WHICH IS THE MAJOR PORTION OF OUR BUDGET, AS WELL AS OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS (24%).PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES: SINCE 1993, HOPEWELL'S DISTINCTIVE WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE TOUCHED BY CANCER HAS BEEN A PIONEERING MODEL OF PATIENT-CENTERED CANCER SUPPORT IN THE GREATER BALTIMORE REGION.AT HOPEWELL WE DO NOT PRESCRIBE, WE OFFER. OUR ALWAYS EVOLVING, PARTICIPANT-CENTERED PROGRAMS ARE LED BY EXPERIENCED, LICENSED CLINICIANS AND CREDENTIALED INSTRUCTORS, ALL SPECIALIZING IN CANCER SUPPORT. OFFERED YEAR-ROUND ON DAYS, EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, OUR PROGRAMMING ADDRESSES THE EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL, AND CREATIVE ASPECTS OF LIFE WITH CANCER.HOPEWELL OFFERS SOME 90 PROGRAMS EACH MONTH IN EIGHT CATEGORIES. THESE ARE: SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PEOPLE WITH CANCER OF ANY TYPE OR STAGE AND FOR LOVED ONES; NETWORKING GROUPS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC CANCERS; STRESS REDUCTION PROGRAMS (YOGA, MINDFULNESS MEDITATION, QIGONG, SOUND IMMERSION, AND T'AI CHI); EXERCISE AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS; PRACTICAL ADVICE WORKSHOPS IN RESPONSE TO PARTICIPANT NEEDS; EXPRESSIVE AND THERAPEUTIC ARTS PROGRAMS; A LONGSTANDING AND HIGHLY VALUED PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES AND FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS WHO HAVE A LOVED ONE WITH CANCER; AND BEREAVEMENT PROGRAMS FOR ALL.IN ADDITION, PARTICIPANTS ARE REGULARLY OFFERED THE EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS OFFERED BY LEADING ONCOLOGISTS AND OTHER DIVERSE PROFESSIONALS. THESE ADDRESS CANCER-RELATED TOPICS SUCH AS CURRENT RESEARCH, TREATMENT OPTIONS AND DECISION MAKING, SIDE EFFECT MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, STRESS REDUCTION, AND MORE.PROGRAM GOALS: WE DEFINE THE FOLLOWING GOALS FOR OUR OVERALL PROGRAM AND MEASURE THE IMPACT THROUGH PARTICIPANT OUTCOME SURVEYS THAT DETERMINE IF PARTICIPANTS: FIND THAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE NORMALIZED; FORM SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS WHOSE LIVES ARE AFFECTED BY CANCER; OBTAIN INFORMATION THEY CONSIDER USEFUL IN ADJUSTING AND COPING WITH THEIR CANCER EXPERIENCE; AND GAIN INCREASED CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN COPE. THE FEEDBACK ON ALL MEASURES ROUTINELY INDICATES THAT HOPEWELL IS PROVIDING A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR PARTICIPANTS. WE REVIEW AND LEARN FROM THE RESULTS.PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: DURING THIS PERIOD, HUNDREDS OF CURRENT AND NEW PARTICIPANTS MADE SOME 7,500 VISITS TO HOPEWELL PROGRAMS, WHICH NUMBER APPROXIMATELY 90 PER MONTH. WE INCREASED SUPPORT GROUP OFFERINGS AND DEVELOPED RESPONSIVE NEW PROGRAMMING TO MEET THE VARIED NEEDS OF OUR GROWING NUMBER OF YOUNG-ADULT PARTICIPANTS AND OF FAMILIES AND THOSE WHO ARE GRIEVING. STAFF SERVED ANOTHER 1,000 OR MORE PEOPLE VIA PHONE AND EMAIL BY OFFERING RESPONSIVE GUIDANCE, INFORMATION, AND REFERRALS. HOPEWELL IS CLEARLY VALUED AND OUR SERVICES REMAIN IN DEMAND.COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS: ONCOLOGY LEADERS ARE AMONG THOSE WHO BELIEVE MOST STRONGLY THAT HOPEWELL IS ANSWERING A CRITICAL NEED. YET FROM THE OUTSET, HOPEWELL HAS NEVER ENGAGED IN A PROPRIETARY OR EXCLUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY INSTITUTION. INDEPENDENCE AND NON-AFFILIATION ARE CENTRAL TO THE TRUST WE BUILD WITH OUR PARTICIPANTS AND WITH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY. PATIENTS ARE REFERRED TO US BY ONCOLOGISTS, NURSES, AND OTHER PROVIDERS FROM SOME 20 HOSPITALS AND CANCER CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, AND, OF COURSE, BY MEMBERS OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY. LEADING ONCOLOGY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS ACROSS SPECIALTIES WILLINGLY DONATE THEIR TIME TO PROVIDE SOME 35 PRESENTATIONS ANNUALLY ON TOPICS RELEVANT TO PARTICIPANTS.IN THE GREATER BALTIMORE REGION, HOPEWELL IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION OF ITS KIND. FOR THOSE ON A CANCER JOURNEY, THE ENERGY OF GATHERING TOGETHER WHETHER IN PERSON AT OUR BELOVED HOME OR VIRTUALLY ADDS A DEPTH TO RELATIONSHIPS AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR CANCER CARE COMMUNITY THAT IS SIMPLY IRREPLACEABLE. FOR 28 YEARS, WE HAVE KNOWN THAT THIS IS THE HEART OF HOPEWELL. PARTICIPATION IS STRONG AND GROWING IN OUR NEWLY VIRTUAL PROGRAMS, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FUTURE WILL INCLUDE AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING WHEN IT IS FULLY SAFE TO ONCE AGAIN GATHER AT HOPEWELL.