Gilda’s Club Program to Help People with Cancer Manage Stress

From Cancer to Health™ Gives Patients Information and Ways to Manage Their Health throughout the Cancer Journey

DAVENPORT, IA – APRIL 2017 – Beginning Thursday, April 13, 2017, Gilda’s Club is offering From Cancer to Health™, a program to help people recently diagnosed with cancer, including those undergoing treatment, to manage the stress of diagnosis and treatment.  Led by Program Director Melissa Wright, From Cancer to Health™ empowers people with cancer through 18 group sessions designed to teach effective strategies and techniques to better cope throughout the cancer journey.

Sessions will be held at Gilda’s Club (1234 East River Drive, Davenport) on Thursdays from 10:00 – 11:30 AM beginning Thursday, April 13, 2017.

This program helps people recently diagnosed with cancer, including those undergoing treatment, to manage the stress of diagnosis and treatment.

“I highly recommend the From Cancer to Health™ series for anyone going through cancer,” said a participant with breast cancer who completed the intervention in March. “The series provides helpful information no matter what stage of your cancer treatment you are in.”

“More than 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year,” said Barbara L. Andersen, professor of psychology at The Ohio State University and lead developer of From Cancer to Health™.  “People diagnosed with cancer feel a great deal of stress, and over time the stress can disrupt the healing process and a patient’s wellbeing.”

Research shows that patients participating in a trial of From Cancer to Health™ demonstrated less stress.  In addition, participants developed stronger immune systems, experienced greater social support, kept healthier diets, and had fewer physical side effects from treatment.

From Cancer to Health™ was designed by an expert panel of health psychologists at The Ohio State University through grants from the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.  Each week, patients will learn:


  *   Strategies to help manage stress

  *   Ways to lessen the impact of physical symptoms of cancer

  *   Skills to cope with common problems faced by people with cancer

“From Cancer to Health™ is grounded in more than a decade of research showing the positive effect that reducing stress has on the health of people with cancer,” said Melissa Wright, Program Director, Gilda’s Club.

To learn more about From Cancer to Health™, contact Melissa Wright, 563-326-7504, melissa@gildasclubqc.org.

About From Cancer to Health™
From Cancer to Health™ was designed with the specific needs of cancer patients in mind by an expert panel of health psychologists at The Ohio State University.  Developed through grants from the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, From Cancer to Health™ helps people with cancer manage the emotional, physical and social side effects of diagnosis and treatment.  For more information, please visit cancertohealth.osu.edu<http://cancertohealth.osu.edu/>.

About Gilda’s Club
Free of charge, Gilda’s Club Quad Cities provides support, education and hope to all people affected by cancer.  As a Cancer Support Community affiliate, we are part of the largest employer of psychosocial oncology mental health professionals in the United States.  Our global network brings the highest quality cancer support to the millions of people touched by cancer.

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