Prostate cancer support groups are meetings where a newly diagnosed patient can gain additional information based on fellow patient's experiences.
What Is A Prostate Cancer Support Group?
A prostate cancer support group is an organized meeting where men can come and talk to other men and learn about their disease. In truth these groups stress information as opposed to hand holding support so the name is somewhat of a misnomer. Wives, family members or friends are welcome in the majority of the groups.
There are two basic forms of prostate support groups, the self-help group and the professionally mentored support group. The self-help group is led by prostate cancer patients. The professionally mentored support group, on the other hand, is led by a licensed professional who has training and expertise in group dynamics. Either of these two forms can be just as effective in helping the new and recovering prostate cancer patient. Some self-help groups even meet in private homes.
There are three organizations that sponsor prostate cancer support groups in the United States. They are the American Cancer Society's Man to Man, US Too! International, and Malecare. These organizations sponsor groups all over the country
Why Do I Need A Prostate Cancer Support Group?
Cancer causes a variety of emotions from anger, to confusion, to depression. Prostate cancer will bring a man face to face with his own unique problems. It is said that the good thing about prostate cancer is that there are a lot of treatments for it. It is also said that the problem with prostate cancer is that there are so many treatments for it.
Questions in a newly diagnosed man's mind run from, am I going to die, to what kind of treatment is best for my particular cancer and where do I go to get it, to what will happen to my sex life? These are all legitimate questions and some men in the self help support group will have gone through the situation and be able to tell you about their experiences. A prostate cancer support group gives a man a place to express all of his questions and concerns. There are no questions discussed in support groups that are taboo. A support group can create a better relationship between a patient and his physician by providing information on how to live with this new experience.
Prostate Cancer Support Groups in New Jersey
| County | Location | Institution | Contact | Telephone | Email/web | Day/Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | Sommers Point | The Cancer Center at Shore Memorial Hospital | Natalie Chelbrick Burnett Watson |
856-616-1650 press 3, ext 102 609-641-7907 |
natalie.chelbrick@cancer.org | 2nd Tues. 7 PM not June, July, Aug |
| Bergen | Hackensack | Hackensack University Medical Center |
Harry
Kessel Melissa Donahue |
201-432-0169 201-996-5836 |
3rd Wed. 10:00 AM | |
| Bergen | Paramus | Blumenthal Cancer Center of Valley Hospital | Janet Carlsen |
201-634-5358 | jcarlse@valleyhealth.com | 3rd Fri. 10 AM |
| Bergen | Call for location of meeting | CARE - Cancer Alternatives Research Exchange |
Lori Van Overloop Harry Kessel |
866-631-5444 201-432-0169 |
Call for meeting time & location | |
| Bergen | Teaneck | Holy Name Hospital Regional Cancer Center | Vivian A. Gaits RN | 201-541-5900 | vagaits@aol.com | 4th Thurs. 2-3:30 PM |
| Bergen | Westwood | Pascack Valley Hospital |
Rosa DeCesare Ray Sloan |
201-722-4564 | rosadecesare@pvhospital.org | 2nd Wed. 7 PM |
| Burlington | Mount Holly | Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program | Natalie Chelbrick Charlie Kuteroff |
856-616-1650 press 3, ext 102 609-654-3665 |
Natalie.chelbrick@cancer.org | 3rd Tues. 7 PM |
| Camden | Voorhees | CINJ at Cooper Town Square Building, 931 Centennial Blvd | Frank Del Rossi, CSW | 856-325-6779 | delrossi-francis@cooperhealth.edu | 2nd Tues. 6:30 PM |
| Cape May |
There is no support group in this county at this time |
Please see neighboring counties | ||||
| Cumberland | Vineland | South Jersey Healthcare - The Fitness Connection | Natalie Chelbrick Joe Profetto |
856-616-1650 press 3, ext 102 856-692-7245 |
4th Wed. 7 PM | |
| Essex | East Orange | VA Medical Center | Janet Cogswell | 973-395-7086 | janet.cogswell@med.va.gov | 4th Mon. 2 PM not May & December |
| Essex | Livingston | St. Barnabas Medical Center | Angela McCabe | 973-322-2668 | amccabe@sbhcs.com | 2nd Tues. 6:30 PM |
| Essex | Montclair | Mountainside Hospital |
Sara Duphiney, LSW | 973-429-6038 | sara.duphiney@ahsys,org | 1st Thurs. 7 PM |
| Gloucester | Sewell | Underwood Memorial Hospital, 21st Century Oncology, 1st floor | Natalie Chelbrick Jack Has |
856-616-1650 press 3, ext 102 856-467-0130 |
1st Tues. 7 PM | |
| Hudson |
There is no support group in this county at this time. |
Please see neighboring counties | ||||
| Hunterdon | Flemington | Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center | Lynn Arnold Jerry McDonald |
908-429-7268 908-730-9504 |
larnold@cancer.org liveyourdreams@patmedia.net |
TEMPORARILY NOT MEETING |
| Mercer | Princeton | Princeton Fitness & Wellness Center | Karen Rust |
609-497-4458 |
ralexander@princetonhcs.org jvelnora@verizon.net |
4th Wed. 12:00 PM not July, Aug & Dec |
| Mercer | Trenton | Capital Health System at Mercer | Joy Ressenblaum Michael Ferko |
609-394-4255 609-585-7638 |
jrosenblaum@chsnj.org | Call for location & time |
| Middlesex | New Brunswick | The Cancer Institute of New Jersey | Brenda Bly | 732-235-6027 | TEMPORARILY NOT MEETING | |
| Monmouth | Freehold | CentraState Medical Center | Karen
Scott |
732-308-0570 732-946-2694 732-946-0495 |
kscott@centrastate.com |
4th Mon. 7 PM |
| Monmouth | Long Branch | The Cancer Center at Monmouth Medical Center |
Anita Pfisterer |
732-932-6961 732-542-6335 |
1st Thurs. 7:00 PM | |
| Monmouth | Neptune | Early Childhood Education Center | Rich Guilfoyle
Marc Gordon |
732-493-3913 732-774-3683 |
rguilfoy@monmouth.edu |
3rd Thurs. 7:00PM |
| Monmouth | Red Bank | Riverview Medical Center | Joan Toole | 732-530-2468 | jtoole@meridian.com | 2nd Thurs. 3 PM |
| Morris | Denvile | St. Clare's Hospital 1st Floor, Silby Cafeteria |
Brandy Johnson, MSW, LCSW Jean Wand |
973-625-6176 973-361-5613 |
bjohnson@saintclares.org |
2nd Tues. 7:30 PM |
| Morris | Morristown | Malcolm Forbes Amphitheatre of Morristown Memorial Hospital | Catherine F. Owens, LCSW Bill Grassmyer |
973-971-5169 973-895-2135 |
1st Tues. 7:30 PM | |
| Ocean | Toms River | American Cancer Society | Patti Alen Dick Muller |
732-758-8220 Press 3 X213 732-240-5717 |
1st Thurs. 7 PM | |
| Ocean | Toms River | USToo! Community Medical Center |
Larry Puccio John Wiuff |
732-349-2950 732-905-3717 |
3rd Thurs. 2 PM | |
| There is no support group in this county at this time. |
Please see neighboring counties | |||||
| Salem |
Salem |
Memorial Hospital at Salem County | Natalie Chelbrick Jak Has |
856-616-1650 856-467-0130 |
Natalie.Chelbrick@cancer.org | 4th Thurs. 7:00PM |
| Somerset |
There is no support group in this county at this time. |
Please see neighboring counties | ||||
| Sussex | Sparta | Sparta Cancer Center Conference Room |
Michele Capossela | 973-331-3794 x118 | michele.capossela@cancer.org | 3rd Tues. 6:30 PM |
| Union | Plainfield | Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center |
Camille Honig | 908-668-2388 | chonig@solarishs.org | 3rd Thurs. 7 PM |
| Warren |
There is no support group in this county at this time. |
Please see neighboring counties |
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