Bladder Cancer Support Groups
Our online support community is available 24 hours a day. There, over 400 bladder cancer survivors, caregivers, family members, and other loved ones support each other through their different stages in their journey with bladder cancer.
To participate in our online support community, click on the big orange button above. You will be asked to register, but registration is free and you are welcome to provide as little or as much information as feels comfortable to you. Requiring people who view the site to register gives more privacy to our members.
A tip for new users: Once you are registered & signed in, if you ever get lost, just click on “My Groups” at the very top and then click on “Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Support Community”
In-Person Bladder Cancer Support Groups, listed by state (Canadian group at the end of the list)
CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles
Bladder Cancer Support Group
The USC Norris Cancer Center
Meets 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:00-7:30 p.m.
USC Norris Lobby Conference Room
1441 Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles
Contact Ronna Harris, LCSW, Social Services Department 323/865-3152 or email ronna.harris@health.usc.edu
San Francisco
Bladder Cancer Education and Support Group
University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center
Meets 3rd Wednesday of each month at 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Mt. Zion Campus
1600 Divisadero, Conference Room H3906, San Francisco
Contact Imelda Tenggara, 415/353-7348 or email itenggara@urology.ucsf.edu
COLORADO
Denver
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Urology Center of Colorado
Meets 4th Tuesday of each month at 12 Noon and 6 p.m.
2777 Mile High Stadium Circle
3rd floor conference room
Denver, CO 80211
Contact: Martha Ruschival RN, BSN at 303-825-8822
mruschival@TUCC.com
ILLINOIS
Chicago
Bladder Cancer Networking Group
Gilda’s Club Chicago and BCAN
Meets 4th Wednesday of the month at 6-7:30 p.m.
537 N. Wells Street, Chicago
The group is facilitated by Sandy Hiehl, RN and Josephine Silvestre, RN
Contact 312-464-9900
http://www.gildasclubchicago.org/
Loyola University Maywood Campus
Meets 2d Tuesday each month at 7 p.m.
“Great Diversions” is for bladder cancer patients that have had continent diversions (neobladders or catheterizable (Indiana) pouches)
Cardinal Bernadin Cancer Center Auditorium
2160 S. First Avenue, Maywood, IL
Contact Ginger Lewis 708-216-5112
glewis@lumc.edu
INDIANA
Indianapolis
A monthly networking group – The Wellness Community Indiana and BCAN
The Wellness Community
5150 W. 71st Street
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Facilitator – Jim Bailey, bladder cancer survivor
Contact The Wellness Community at 317-257-1505
MARYLAND
Baltimore
Bladder Cancer Support Group (primarily for pre- and post-op cystectomy patients)
Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Meets every other month on the first Thursday at 1:30pm
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
Contact Darlyn Tucker 410-955-2575 or d.tucker1@jhmi.edu
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor
Bladder Cancer Support Group
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dept. of Urology
The sessions are free and no reservation is necessary.
Meetings are on Sundays.
2010 Meetings: Mar 14; May 16; Jul 11; Sep 12; Nov 14
1:00-2:30 p.m.
University of Michigan Main Hospital, Ann Arbor
Contact Staci Mitchell 734-615-4340
Or email staclin@med.umich.edu
NEW YORK
New York
New York City
Bladder Cancer: Challenges & Solutions
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Meets every month on the second Thursday at noon
Contact Richard Glassman, LCSW at 646-422-4658 or glassmar@mskcc.org.
Rochester
A support group – Strong Memorial Hospital and BCAN
The James Wilmot Cancer Center at Strong Memorial Hospital
601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642
Facilitator – Jackie Bill, Social Work Dept., The James Wilmot Cancer Center
RSVP to – Jackie at 585-273-2888; Jacqueline_bill@urmc.rochester.edu
OREGON
Springfield
Bladder Cancer Support Group
3rd Tuesday of every month
Oregon Urology Institute-Radiation Center
1457 G Street
Springfield, OR 97477
Contact: Stephanie Kerns 541-284-5508
stephanie@oregonurology.com
TEXAS
Houston
Bladder Cancer Support Team
The University of Texas
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1373
Houston, TX 77030
Meetings: Bi-monthly
Contact: Thomas J. Touzel (ttouzel@mdanderson.org) or Jane Dinney (jdinney@mdanderson.org)
713-792-6388
www.mdanderson.org/departments/bladdercansup/
WISCONSIN
Milwaukee
Bladder Cancer Support Group
4th Wednesday of the Month
6:15 to 7:45 pm
Clinical Conference Room L
(1st floor of the Clinical Cancer Center)
Clinical Cancer Center
Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College Clinical Cancer Center
9200 West Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53226
For More Information: Call Heidi Stark, BSN OCN (414) 805-0196
CANADA
Montreal
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Jewish General Hospital Hope & Cope Wellness Centre
4635 Cote Ste. Catherine Road (corner Lavoie)
Meets 3rd Wednesday of each month at 5:30-7:00 p.m
February 17: Speaker – Dr. Louis Souhami, Radiation Oncologist,
McGill University Health Centre “What’s New in Radiotherapy”
The group is facilitated by Hy Burack. For more information
Contact the Wellness Centre at 514-340-3616 or email burack@securenet.net
