Durango-Based Organization Joins Nationwide Cancer Support Community

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Cancer Support Community (CSC) welcomed its newest affiliate on June 17. Founded as Blueprints of Hope, CSC Southwest Colorado joins the global organization’s 175 locations, including 52 affiliates and health care partners.

“Our decision to affiliate with the Cancer Support Community is based on our sincere desire to reach more people in the rural communities we serve,” said Toni Abbey, founder and executive director of Blueprints of Hope. “We think this is an incredible opportunity. By combining our resources, we are better positioned to connect cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families to the resources and support that meet their needs and improve their quality of life.”

The virtual charter ceremony formalizing the new relationship included La Plata County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, CSC’s Interim CEO Ken Scalet, and Vice President of Clinical Services Susan Ash-Lee.

“We are so pleased to formally welcome Blueprints of Hope into our CSC family,” said interim CEO Ken Scalet. “Together with our nationwide network that represents the gold standard inpatient support, Toni and her team in Southwest Colorado will show that community is stronger than cancer.”

In 2021, more than 28,000 Colorado residents will be diagnosed with cancer. With this number in mind, support for those impacted by this devastating diagnosis are much needed. Blueprints of Hope serves people living with cancer in Durango, Colorado, and the surrounding area. The organization offers navigation, education, and support for the community in Southwest Colorado, providing crucial services to those impacted by cancer in the rural community. As a member of CSC’s global network, CSC Southwest Colorado will now provide a myriad of new resources to their community, including CSC’s Helpline, the online community MyLifeLine, and award-winning educational materials—all of which are available at no cost to cancer patients and their families and caregivers. Further, the Southwest Colorado community will join in local and national advocacy efforts through CSC’s Cancer Policy Institute and Research and Training Institute.

Find out more about CSC Southwest Colorado by visiting their website: https://cancersupportswco.org/

About the Cancer Support Community

As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community (CSC), including its Gilda’s Club affiliates, is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. CSC achieves its mission through three areas: direct service delivery, research, and advocacy. The organization’s Institute for Excellence in Psychosocial Care includes an international network of affiliates that offer the highest quality social and emotional support for people impacted by cancer, as well as a community of support available online and over the phone. The Research and Training Institute conducts cutting-edge psychosocial, behavioral, and survivorship research. CSC furthers its focus on patient advocacy through its Cancer Policy Institute, informing public policy in Washington, D.C. and across the nation. For more information, please call the toll-free Cancer Support Helpline at 888-793-9355, or visit www.CancerSupportCommunity.org.