St Vincent’s Slates Services, Support Groups For Cancer Survivors

BRIDGEPORT — St Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound is a charitable, grass roots organization run by St Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation. For 21 years, the SWIM has had a unique niche, providing cancer education, screening and prevention programs at low- or no-cost for the elderly and underserved.

In addition, the SWIM helps individual cancer patients on a case-by-case basis with specific needs, such as the funding of wigs and prostheses, medication assistance, free transportation to treatments and appointments, day-care scholarships, support groups and more.

In the coming days, the organization is hosting the following activities:

*Free prostate cancer survivors educational lectures offered by St Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound is held on the second Tuesday of every month from 4:30 to 6 pm. The next session will be Tuesday, November 20, in the Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care Level 3-Medical Oncology Conference Room.

Lynn Roberge, psychotherapist, will be the speaker presenting on “Let’s Talk.” The series provides information, support, and resources to men being treated for prostate cancer, those recovering from treatment and prostate cancer survivors.

*A free General Cancer Support Group is held on the third Wednesday of every month from 9 to 10 am. The next group will meet November 21 in the Oncology Conference Room, located in the Elizabeth M. Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care  adjacent to the St Vincent’s Medical Center, 2800 Main Street.

This ongoing monthly group is focused on giving support to patients and families who have been diagnosed with lung, colon, head and neck, esophageal, GI cancers, and other solid tumors. Facilitators Lynn Roberge, CAS, LPC, NCC, psychotherapist, and Teresa McLaughlin, RN, MSN, AOCN, oncology nurse case manager, will lead the group in discussions.

*St Vincent’s “We Care” Perinatal Grief Support Group will meet on Wednesday, November 21, from 7 to 8:15 pm in the Ambulatory Infusion Center waiting area located on level 3 of the Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care.

The group is for those grieving the loss of a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillborn, or newborn death. The group is facilitated by a maternity nurse and a chaplain who are certified grief counselors, and meets the third Wednesday of each month.

Speakers experienced in grief counseling are scheduled periodically. There is no charge for attendance and no registration is required.

For additional information, call Barbara Paris in the Pastoral Care Department at 203-576-5110.

*St Vincent’s Medical Center and Saxon-Kent Lingerie of Orange have partnered to create the St Vincent’s SWIM Center Boutique, which offers specialty products and services to individuals undergoing treatment or in survivorship. The St Vincent’s SWIM Center Boutique is on the third level of the Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care.

Individuals are asked to bring Medicare and insurance cards and staff will assist in completing paperwork. St Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound assistance is available to those who qualify.

The boutique is open Monday thru Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. Special fitting hours for wigs, prostheses, mastectomy bras, lymphedema sleeves, etc will be Tuesdays from 2 to 4 pm and Wednesdays from 10 am to noon, or by appointment.

*St Vincent’s also offers a massage therapy program for oncology patients undergoing definitive active treatment and for survivors who have completed treatment. The massage program is made possible through funding from St Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound.

Massage therapy has been studied and has proven beneficial to cancer patients in many ways including reducing stress, promoting deep relaxation, improving sleep, and reducing fatigue and nausea. The program is by appointment only.  

Call 203-576-6158 for information, registration for any of the events posted, or for a massage therapy appointment, or visit www.stvincents.org/events.