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Piper Lung Cancer Program Supportive Services

Social Services

The Virginia Piper Cancer Institute has a clinical social worker who helps patients and families by listening to their concerns and assisting them in formulating a plan to address their concerns. A cancer diagnosis can produce challenges and stresses. The social worker is there to help patients and their families cope with different emotional adjustment issues.

The licensed social worker has a master's-level education as well as experience working with cancer patients and their families. The social worker collaborates with the patient's care team to meet the psychsocial, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their families.

The role of the social worker involves:

• emotional support to patients and families
• help with adjusting to illness, outpatient treatment and hospitalization
• grief and loss counseling and referral
• resources for support groups
• financial issues/concerns
• health care directives
• home care services
• hospice
• community resources such as Meals on Wheels® and transportation.

Smoking Cessation

The CleanBreak smoking cessation program, sponsored by the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute, assists patients who currently smoke by offering a structured step-by-step approach to quit smoking. The classes are currently free to patients in the lung cancer program.

Healing Coach

Through Abbott Northwestern's Institute for Health and Healing, a healing coach is available to offer support, information and referrals for complementary therapies.

The function of the healing coach is to:

• assist in developing and implementing a healing plan
• bridge the worlds of mainstream and complementary medicine
• address concerns and feelings raised by a diagnosis of cancer
• facilitate an understanding of the life-changing nature of a cancer diagnosis
• help open dialogue between family members.

For additional information, or to schedule an appointment, contact the Institute for Health and Healing at 612-863-3333.

The Living Room Cancer Resource Center

Located on the fourth floor of the Piper Building, the Living Room Cancer Resource Center offers a comfortable place to learn in a supportive environment. Professional staff members and volunteers help locate resources and guide patients through an inventory of current information on cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment options and supportive services.

Cancer-related information is available in books, videos, audiocassettes, CDs, brochures, articles and through the internet. For more information, call the Living Room at 612-863-8713.

Virginia Piper Cancer Institute Cancer Support Groups

Coping with Change
A support group for people with esophageal, gastric, head and neck cancer, and their families. This group provides an opportunity to share questions and concerns with others who are experiencing similar diagnoses. The group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 3-4 p.m.

I Can Cope
The American Cancer Society’s "I Can Cope" program offers educational classes for individuals with cancer and their family members. Each class has a different topic related to common questions or concerns one might have when diagnosed with cancer. Classes are taught by a health care professional and are held on the third Tuesday of every month from 3-4:30 p.m.

Look Good, Feel Better
This American Cancer Society class offers beauty techniques to help women enhance their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments. It is designed to provide tips for dealing wtih side effects of treatment such as hair loss and skin changes. The class is held on the third Thursday of every month from 10 a.m.-noon.

The Brain Tumor Support Group
This group meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 7-8 p.m. A light dinner is offered starting at 5:30 p.m. before each group. Meetings are held in the Piper Building sixth floor classroom.

Program for Women Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
A structured series of four sessions designed for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last six months. Group sessions offer support and education to help women manage the stressors of diagnosis and treatment. Meetings are held every other month on Mondays from 3:30-5 p.m.

Breast Cancer Support Group
An ongoing group that provides a supportive environment for women who have breast cancer to share thoughts and feelings with each other. The group is open to women in any phase of their breast cancer experience. Held on the 4th Tuesday of every month from 5-6:30 PM.

All support groups are free of charge. For a current schedule of support groups, call the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute at 612-863-4633.

Palliative Care Services

Abbott Northwestern Hospital's Palliative Care Service emphasizes improvement in quality of life for patients with complex needs at any stage of illness. It is available to patients and families experiencing the challenges of symptom management, chronic and advanced illness and difficult decision-making regarding care goals and treatment options. Team consultation includes specially trained and experienced Palliative Care physicians, advanced practice nurses and a chaplain. Palliative Care is offered simultaneously with all other appropriate medical treatment to treat symptoms and support the patient and family.

Medical Nutrition Therapy

People with lung cancer may experience eating difficulties. Treatments may cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea. Decreased eating and drinking less fluids can result in weakness, dehydration and inability to complete therapies or possibly malnutrition. A registered dietitian is available at the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute to assist with nutritional assessments and strategic goal setting to help reduce symptoms, maintain weight and improve food intake.

Virginia Piper Cancer Institute
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
Piper Lung Cancer Program
800 East 28th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-863-5310
Medical Director: Michael Bowen, MD
Nurse Coordinator: Jody Eifert, RN

First published: 01/16/2007
Last updated: 04/05/2007

Reviewed by: Michael Bowen, MD; Paula Colwell