Metro Denver supportive oncology
Our programs and services are designed to help prevent or lessen the side effects caused by cancer treatments, and to help patients handle the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual challenges they encounter during their care now and in the future.
Metro Denver supportive oncology
Click a link below to see information about that service.
Nutrition
Oncology-trained registered dietitians can provide cancer patients with individualized cancer-specific nutrition consults, assessments and nutrition recommendations tailored to offset cancer side effects throughout treatment, such as changes in taste/ appetite, digestion concerns, and use of supplements/ enzymes. Also provided are nutrition resources, such as recipes, cooking classes, and educational seminars.
For more information/appointments 720.848.9266
Social work
Oncology-trained social workers can help cancer patients, caregivers, and families cope with and reduce cancer-related distress. They provide emotional support to address cancer-correlated concerns, such as family, work, and other areas of life. They also offer resources and referrals, such as support groups and community resources. Finally, social workers teach how to cope with chronic illness through individualized care plans.
For more information/appointments 720.848.9266
Oncology counseling services
Oncology-trained psychologists and licensed clinical social workers can help cancer patients, caregivers, and families adjust to a cancer diagnosis; utilize evidence-based assessments and treatment approaches to create customized care plans; and treat cancer-related depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, pain, insomnia and other psychosocial concerns related to cancer treatment and survivorship.
Services are billed to insurance; we are in-network with most insurance companies and most individuals have no co-pay for our care. Please call to learn more.
For more information/appointments: 720.848.9266
For virtual care, patients must be located in Colorado at the time counseling services are rendered. We cannot provide care outside state lines.
Nurse navigation
Oncology nurse navigators will help guide you through the overwhelming, sometimes confusing journey that often accompanies a diagnosis of cancer. Navigators will teach you about your specific type of cancer and help you understand the information you receive from your doctors. They can assist with facilitating and coordinating initial appointments with oncology specialists, and they ensure that patients have access to timely care. Nurses can also refer patients to other useful resources within UCHealth and the community.
For more information/appointments 720.848.9266
General support groups
Cancer patient support groups
Our groups are a no-cost resource to provide a place for people living with cancer to share common concerns and receive emotional support in a confidential, supportive environment.
Support groups foster honest and compassionate communication among group members to aid in managing feelings of isolation and loss of control while coping with the uncertainties a cancer diagnosis may bring.
2nd Tuesday of the month
4 – 5:30 p.m.
4th Tuesday of the month
4 – 5:30 p.m.
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Grupo de apoyo para pacientes hispanohablantes con cáncer
**Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute – RMLEI Auditorium El 1121**
Nuestros grupos son un recurso sin costo que ofrece un lugar donde las personas que viven con cáncer comparten preocupaciones comunes y reciben ayuda emocional en un ambiente confidencial y de apoyo.
Los grupos de apoyo fomentan la comunicación sincera y compasiva entre los miembros del grupo para ayudarles a manejar sentimientos de aislamiento y pérdida de control, mientras enfrentan las incertidumbres que un diagnóstico de cáncer pueda traer.
Los temas incluirán asesoramiento financiero, bienestar espiritual, cuidados paliativos, beneficios en acción, nutrición con un nutricionista acreditado y comunicación familiar.
4º jueves del mes, de 12:00 p.m. a 1:00 p.m.
**Por favor visite nuestra pagina de Clases y Eventos para registrar y ver nuestros proximos grupos.**
Advanced cancer support group
The group is open to any patient with a Stage 3 or 4 cancer diagnosis.
Patients with cancer that has grown, spread into surrounding tissues, or into lymph nodes, as well as other body organs are all encouraged to participate. The goal is to create a community for people living with similarly staged diagnoses where people are able to come together to share and process the unique experiences that come with living with advanced cancer.
3rd Thursday of each month
Noon – 1 p.m. on Microsoft Teams
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Cancer caregiver support groups
Our caregiver support group is a free resource to let cancer caregivers discuss effects of caregiving on emotional, social, financial, physical, and spiritual well-being.
This group allows caregivers to talk and interact with other caregivers.
2nd Thursday of the month
4 – 5:30 p.m. (Anschutz Medical Campus)
4th Thursday of the month
4 – 5:30 p.m. (AMC)
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Writers workshop
This workshop is a no-cost resource available to cancer patients and their loved ones.
The workshop presents an opportunity to use creativity and expression as tools in coping with the ups and downs of the cancer journey.
2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month
3 – 4:30 p.m.
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Brain tumor support group
This group allows people impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis to share and interact with others.
This group provides the opportunity to learn about how to deal with side effects and the most current and useful resources.
1st Tuesday of the month
5 – 6:30 p.m.
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Breast cancer support group
Our breast cancer support group is an educational support group for all breast cancer patients.
Group goals include:
- Enhancing quality of life.
- Building connections with a community of breast cancer survivors.
- Exploring the role of mind, body, and spirit in coping with illness.
Some discussion topics are:
- Coping strategies.
- Fear of cancer coming back.
- Depression or anxiety.
- Family dynamics.
- Body image.
- Sexuality or intimacy.
3rd Tuesday of every month
3 – 4:30 p.m.
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Breast cancer support group – Highlands Ranch Hospital
This group is comprised of breast cancer survivors, newly diagnosed patients, community partners, and UCHealth and CU School of Medicine team members to provide you with support, compassion, and information during and after your journey.
Group goals include:
- Enhancing quality of life.
- Building connections with a community of breast cancer survivors.
- Exploring the role of mind, body, and spirit in coping with illness.
Highlands Ranch Hospital evening group
3rd Tuesday of the month
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Some discussion topics are:
- Coping strategies.
- Fear of cancer coming back.
- Depression or anxiety.
- Family dynamics.
- Body image.
- Sexuality or intimacy.
This group meets virtually and in person at Highlands Ranch Hospital. > See map
To register, please email our coordinator.
Head & neck cancer support groups
The head and neck cancer support group allows people impacted by a head and neck cancer diagnosis to share and interact with others.
This group provides the opportunity to learn how to deal with side effects as well as about current and useful resources.
Highlands Ranch Hospital evening group
Last Tuesday of the month
6:30 – 8 p.m.
This is an in-person meeting only at Highlands Ranch Hospital. > See map
For additional information, please email Head & Neck Support or call 720.516.2061
Prostate cancer educational support group
Our prostate cancer support group provides a safe space for people impacted by a prostate cancer diagnosis to share and interact with other men who are at various stages of living with prostate cancer.
Nutrition, learning how to deal with side effects, and discovering current and useful resources are a large part of the offering of this group.
2nd Tuesday of every month
6 – 7:30 p.m.
**Please visit our Events and classes page to view and register for our upcoming groups.**
Therapy groups
Trained oncology counselors offer six week sessions of group therapy for certain patient populations. To allow for deeper group connection, these groups are closed and committed, meaning the same participants attend all six weeks. Sessions are held virtually.
Services are billed to insurance; we are in-network with most insurance companies and most individuals have no co-pay for our care. Please call to learn more.
Current groups include:
- Young Adults with Cancer – individuals ages 18-early 40’s facing cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
- Parents with Cancer – individuals with cancer who are raising children under age 18.
- Advanced Cancer – individuals diagnosed with stage IV cancer.
- Caregivers of Patients with Metastatic Disease – primary caregivers of a patient who has stage IV cancer.
To learn more and sign up for a therapy group, please call 720.848.9266
Services are billed to insurance; we are in-network with most insurance companies and most individuals have no co-pay for our care. Please call to learn more.
Managing Fears of Recurrence
Many individuals face anxiety and fears of cancer recurrence post-treatment. Individuals who attend this three-part therapeutic group class will learn:
- How to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies to manage anxiety and cope with uncertainty.
- How anxiety manifests and its negative effect on mental health.
- To get back in touch with your life goals and how to move forward post-treatment.
This group class is held virtually via MyHealth Connection and billed through your insurance. Classes are held three consecutive weeks for 90 minutes.
To learn more and register for the next class, please call 720.848.9266
Empowered Relief™ – Train your Brain Away from Pain!
Please join us for this two-hour virtual class to learn ways to manage chronic pain associated with cancer. You will learn strategies to decrease your pain and increase relaxation.
We continually recruit for this class, which will be billed through your insurance. The class is highly educational; you will not be asked to share personal information. You are welcome to bring a friend or family member!
To learn more and register for the next class, please call 720.848.9266
Mindfulness Based Approach to Stress Management
This group class teaches effective ways to recognize and manage stress associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment. Individuals who attend this four-part therapeutic group class will learn:
- How to use mindfulness skills during your treatment and recovery.
- Calm feelings of fear, uncertainty and lack of control.
- Mindfully manage difficult cancer-related symptoms and side effects (i.e pain, insomnia, nausea).
- How to become mindfully aware of our unhelpful thoughts.
This group class is held virtually via MyHealth Connection and billed through your insurance.
Classes are held four consecutive weeks for 90 minutes.
To learn more and register for the next class, please call 720.848.9266
Sexual health
For men and prostate cancer
Join us to learn ways of managing potential sexual health side effects from prostate cancer treatment.
Changes to sexual health and functioning occur frequently for men undergoing prostate cancer treatment. Our Sexual Health for Men with Prostate Cancer class is led by a medical provider with expertise in men’s sexual health and a health psychologist working with individuals and couples facing cancer.
This group class is held virtually via MyHealth Connection and billed through your insurance. The class lasts 90 minutes.
To learn more and register for the next class, please call 720.848.9266
For women
Women’s sexual health consultations are offered by a medical provider and clinical psychologist/sex therapist at several Denver Metro locations.
- For appointments with medical provider Lauren Harrington, MD at the Central Park location, call 720.553.2850.
- To request an appointment with clinical psychologist/sex therapist Winnie Hunter PhD, call 720.516.9410 at the Cherry Creek location.
Survivorship
The CU Cancer Center provides survivorship care plans (SCP) for its patients who are in surveillance. A SCP is a document that summarizes a patient’s diagnosis, treatment, and reasons to contact their health care teams. This document describes the recommended follow-up plan and contains wellness tips and resources. It is designed to be shared with your primary care team.
We also offer group-based meetings monthly; please see registration under support groups tab.
For general information about survivorship, please contact
Carlin Callaway, DNP: [email protected] , or 720-848-3931
Palliative Care
The goal of palliative care is preventing or treating the symptoms and side effects of a disease or its treatment as early as possible. Palliative care can assist with psychological, social, and spiritual challenges from a cancer diagnosis throughout treatment.
For more information/appointments 720-848-9264
BFitBWell cancer exercise program
This program provides supervised exercise during cancer treatment that has shown to decrease depression, anxiety, and fatigue. A personalized approach is used that helps increase strength, cardiovascular function, healthy habits, and quality of life.
For more information/appointments: 303.724.9202
The CARE clinic
UCHealth’s Clinical Assessment and Rapid Evaluation (CARE) clinic offers same-day visits to help manage and control symptoms including (but not limited to): nausea, vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea, pain, constipation, and rash.
For more information or appointments, visit the clinic page.
Oncology rehabilitation services
Comprehensive cancer rehabilitation is designed to address and/or prevent symptoms that affect daily life, such as: muscle/ joint pain, limb swelling (lymphedema), weakness, balance, fatigue, bowel/ bladder problems, memory problems, and sexual dysfunction and/or pelvic pain in women.
Offered through the UCHealth Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Clinic – Anschutz.
Cancer-related fatigue program
The lack of energy/tiredness that comes from cancer, called cancer-related fatigue, is different from the fatigue of daily life. This program can assist patients in improving strength, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle. Exercise can help decrease fatigue, build up stamina, and can help reduce anxiety or depression.
Offered through the UCHealth Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Clinic – Anschutz.
Community resources for cancer patients and caregivers
Click a logo below to visit that website.
In our community, thousands of children facing the challenges of a parent’s cancer can escape the sadness and isolation that cancer creates and connect with peers who understand and are able to provide comfort and support.
Casting for Recovery (CfR) provides healing outdoor retreats for women with breast cancer, at no cost to the participants. The retreats are open to women with breast cancer of all ages, in all stages of treatment and recovery.
Through its week-long adventure camps, regional meetups, and education programming, Epic Experience empowers adult cancer survivors, thrivers, and caregivers to live beyond cancer.
First Descents provides life-changing, outdoor adventures for young adults impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions. Our programs empower participants to climb, paddle, and surf beyond their diagnosis, reclaim their lives, and connect with others doing the same.
Imerman Angels envisions a world where cancer is not a solitary experience. Our mission is to provide comfort and understanding for all cancer fighters, survivors, previvors and caregivers through a personalized, one-on-one connection with someone who has been there.
Live By Living provides transformative outdoor experiences for cancer survivors and their caregivers. Our day hikes, snowshoe outings, and cancer survivor retreats are structured to help you build up your strength and stamina, to find solace in the beauty of nature, and make new friends with people who understand what you’ve been through.
Reel Recovery is a national non-profit organization that conducts free fly fishing retreats for men living with all forms of cancer.
Sites and Insights focuses on the emotional trauma caused by the cancer experience. We have a one-of-a-kind, award winning, innovative curriculum that heals emotional trauma by creating a sense of hope, peace, joy and empowerment.
Supporting Cancer Patients, Survivors, and Caregivers
Tobacco Cessation program
The tobacco treatment specialist can help develop a plan to work towards reducing or quitting tobacco. The specialist will advise how to manage withdrawal symptoms, deciding which tools would be uniquely beneficial, and assisting in obtaining potentially needed medications.
For more information/appointments 720-553-4473
Cardio-oncology
Cardio-oncology focuses on treating heart conditions in cancer patients and survivors. Cardio-oncologists can discuss cardiac risk associated with certain types of cancer therapies and chest radiation.
For more information: Discuss with your provider and ask for a referral to a Cardio-oncology specialist.
Genetic counseling
The Hereditary Cancer Clinic can assist patients through providing a variety of genetic services such as: genetic counseling, family history analysis, and genetic testing.
Onco-fertility
As a subspecialty that focuses on the fertility management in young cancer patients, oncofertility can offer pre-treatment collection and freezing of eggs, sperm, or ovarian tissues. Oncofertility may also assist with donor sperm or eggs when cancer treatment has impaired fertility.
For more information: Discuss with your provider and ask for a referral to the oncofertility specialist.
Please check back for information on upcoming Wellness Conference dates and schedule.
Conference files
Financial Case Coordination
A diagnosis of cancer takes a physical and emotional toll – and sometimes a financial toll as well. Financial Case Coordinators at UCHealth are available to help you navigate through these concerns.
For more information and a referral to financial coordination please call 720.848.9266
Quick reference
| BFitBWell | 303.724.9202 | |
| Cancer-related fatigue | Visit clinic page | |
| Cardio-oncology | Provider referral | |
| CARE clinic | Visit clinic page | |
| Educational series | 720.848.9266 | |
| Genetic counseling | Visit clinic page | |
| Nutrition | 720.848.9266 |
| Oncofertility | Provider referral | |
| Palliative care | 720.848.9264 | |
| Psychology/counseling | 720.848.9266 | |
| Rehabilitation services | Visit clinic page | |
| Social work | 720.848.9266 | |
| Spiritual care | Provider referral | |
| Support groups | 720.848.9266 | |
| Tobacco cessation program | 720.553.4473 |