Christy Ciambor, Executive Director. Cancer Connection (photo courtesy of Christy Ciambor)
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The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Mike Lane: Now I understand your role at Cancer Connection is fairly new. So, what made you want to work for Cancer Connection?
Christy Ciambor: About, I guess, maybe four years ago now, four or five years ago, my very dear friend was diagnosed with cancer, and when that happens, you’re sort of in a tizzy trying to figure out a way that you can help. There’s not a whole lot you can do as a friend on the healthcare side because of HIPAA, and you can make food, and you can go for walks, and you can do all those things, and should do those things, but it still wasn’t feeling like enough, and I was like, you know, I know from my work, actually, here at KTOO, I had worked with them a little bit on a PSA campaign. I was like, let me just call Cancer Connection, like, let me see at least what they offer. And a woman answered the phone, and literally was, I believe, we were on the phone for about an hour, and she answered all these questions for me and gave me all of this information and sent me a form in the mail for her and just really was a sounding board and also this just this comforting presence at this time that’s so crazy right as a friend as a caregiver for anybody that’s going through that and I always remembered that, like, my takeaway was, like, gosh, like, what an incredible resource this organization is, and subsequently other friends had been diagnosed, and it just felt like I was becoming their biggest cheerleader.
I was like, “Well, you have to call Cancer Connection.” I was like, They have a lot of resources, they can do a lot, like make sure you reach out to them. And then my own mom was diagnosed. She lives on the East Coast, and you know, during her experience, I had just said several times, I was like, ‘Gosh, I wish that there was something here that you had, like what we have in Juneau with Cancer Connection. Said it so many times, I mean, she’s in New York, so you can imagine there’s like a ton of resources, but sometimes that’s even harder to navigate. You’re like, well, which one do I have to call, like, all 20 organizations? Like, how does this work? Like, what’s the best, the best way forward? And for me, that really just solidified, and so I, my friend that had been diagnosed and is now no evidence of disease for several years, is on their board, and that’s how this relationship started developing. I was like, I’d like to be more involved, and it really did start with they very recently relaunched their Let’s Talk peer program, and they decided to expand it to caregivers, and I was allowed to attend and do the workshop as a caregiver.
Mike Lane: I’m going to ask you about Let’s Talk but first I want to ask, how does Cancer Connection assist Alaskans who are living with cancer, their families, and support systems? What does Cancer Connection do specifically for them?
Christy Ciambor: Sure. So, we have several programs that we run. One is a travel assistance program, so for anybody with a cancer diagnosis, that if they’re being treated here or they’re doing treatment in Seattle or Anchorage or elsewhere, we provide a $750 travel stipend, and that can be used for airfare, for ferry, towards lodging, if you need it. It’s really just a way to kind of help supplement at a time when a lot of logistics are in play, and hopefully it relieves some of the economic burden that’s happening as you’re going through treatment. In addition, we have an apartment in Seattle, and it’s at a very reduced rate, so for I think it’s under 14 nights, it’s 95 per night, and then it drops to 75 but it’s very reasonable, and it’s available for long term stays. We have counseling support that’s also available, yoga when it’s available, and then, of course, Let’s Talk.
Mike Lane: And tell me about the Let’s Talk program.
Christy Ciambor: Sure, so the program by design, it’s to connect patients and caregivers now with other folks that have had that experience. So we can pair you up with people who’ve been diagnosed with the same or a similar cancer, and in the same way with for caregivers, so if you’re caring for somebody with a particular type of cancer, and it would be helpful for you to speak to somebody who’s also been through it.
Mike Lane: Cancer Connection also has the Beat the Odds: A Race Against Cancer. Can you tell me more about that? What it is, where it is, when it is, who can participate?
Christy Ciambor: Everybody can participate, and I strongly encourage you to participate. The event will be held at the UAS campus, so this is a first and new, but very exciting. It’ll be on August 15, and we’re working in conjunction with Roadrunners, it’s our largest fundraiser. So all of this programming that we just talked about, this money helps to support that.
Registration for BEAT THE ODDS: A RACE AGAINST CANCER will be open soon. Learn more online follow Cancer Connection on Facebook and Instagram.
