Cancer Support Community
A first conversation when cancer feels overwhelming: emotional support and help finding groups, counseling and practical resources. Its Cancer Support Helpline serves patients and loved ones, primarily in the U.S. and Canada.
- Cost
- Helpline navigation is free (checked October 24, 2026).[1]
- Hours
- Monday to Thursday 9 am to 7 pm ET; Friday 9 am to 6 pm ET.[1]
- Specialized navigators
- Finances, clinical trials, genetics, pediatric and young adult, CAR T.[1]
- Locations
- Over 200, including Gilda's Club centers.[2]
- Languages
- Spanish navigation; translation in over 200 languages.[1]
- Emotional support
- Listening and navigation for patients and loved ones, with referrals to counseling and groups; not individual phone therapy.[3]
Cost
HoursCancer Support Community is a nonprofit that helps people with any cancer, and their loved ones, find support, information and resources so no one faces cancer alone. Its network, which includes Gilda's Club centers, has over 200 locations.
What they offer
- A free Cancer Support Helpline staffed by community navigators and resource specialists, by phone or live web chat.
- Specialized navigators by appointment for finances and treatment costs, clinical trials, genetics and genomics, pediatric and young adult cancer, and CAR T cell therapy.
- Referrals to counseling, support groups, lodging, transportation and financial resources.
- Treatment decision-making education and an online distress screening tool, CancerSupportSource.
- Live Spanish navigation and phone translation in over 200 languages.
- MyLifeLine, an online community, and local centers.
How to start and what it costs
Call the Helpline or use the chat window on its site. Navigation is free (checked October 24, 2026). The Helpline does not give medical advice or individual counseling by phone, but it can offer emotional support during the call and refer you.
Emotional support for you or a loved one
The Helpline can listen, help you identify what support you want, and connect you with counseling, peer matching or groups. Its phone service is navigation and emotional support, rather than individual therapy. Ask which local or online program serves your location and whether it has separate support for caregivers. As of October 2026, Helpline navigation is free.
How it fits with other groups here
This is a broad first stop for any cancer. For insurance and copay problems, see Patient Advocate Foundation. For trial searching, see my clinical trials guide, and for more support options, my find support guide.
Questions I would ask
- Is there a local center or online group near me?
- Can I book the financial navigator about my treatment costs?
- Can the clinical trials navigator help me prepare to talk about trials with my doctor?
- What support do you offer my caregiver?
Contacts
- Website: cancersupportcommunity.org
- Helpline: 272-867-5309 (CSC-867-5309)
- Toll-free: 888-793-9355
- Helpline page: Cancer Support Helpline
Services & community focus
Nonprofit
