The UCSF Ida and Joseph Friend Patient and Family Cancer Support Center offers numerous support groups for cancer patients and families. The support groups are free and available to all patients, whether or not they get their health care at UCSF. Most groups require participants be in the state of California during the meeting. Please inquire with the facilitator for more information.
Cancer Support Groups
- All Cancer – All Stages
- All Cancer – Family and Friends
- All Cancer – Husbands and Significant Others
- Anal Cancer Support Group for Women
- Bladder Cancer Education and Support Group
- Blood Cancer Support Group (leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma)
- Brain Tumor Support Group
- Brain Tumor Caregivers Support Group
- Breast Cancer Support Group (advanced breast cancer)
- Breast Cancer Support Group (general breast cancer)
- Cáncer de Sangre - Grupo de Apoyo en Español para pacientes de UCSF
- Colorectal Cancer Support Group
- Gynecological Cancer Support Group
- Head and Neck Cancer Education and Support Group
- Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Support Group
- Neuroendocrine Tumor Support Group
- Prostate Cancer Support Group
- Prostate Cancer Support Group for Gay Men
- Peer Support by Phone
- Serious Illness Support Group
- Young Women’s Support Group
All Cancer – All Stages
The UCSF All Cancer Support Group is a free weekly gathering open to patients with cancer of any type and in any stage. Please contact us for more information and to register. Please note that this group is for patients only.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Wednesdays, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Contact: [email protected]
All Cancer – Family and Friends Support
The UCSF All Cancer Support Group for Family and Friends is open to anyone who offers emotional and practical support to a loved one with cancer. Participants learn tools to cope with the psychological and physical aspects of caring for a loved one, and find ways of nurturing themselves.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Second Wednesday of the month, noon – 1:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 502-1887
All Cancer – Husbands and Significant Others
The UCSF All Cancer Support Group for Husbands and Partners is for men whose significant other has cancer. The group explores positive ways of coping, provides emotional support, and shares information on treatments, side effects, complementary therapies, financial concerns and insurance issues.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 885-3693
Anal Cancer Support Group for Women
The UCSF Anal Cancer Support Group for Women is a designed for women who have been diagnosed with anal cancer and are in any stage of treatment.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Fourth Tuesday of the month, 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 502-1887
Bladder Cancer Education and Support Group
The UCSF Bladder Cancer Education and Support Group is available so that patients with bladder cancer as well as their caregivers and family members may share experiences, educate one another and support each other.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First Thursday of the month, 12:30 – 2 p.m
Contact: (415) 514-1707
Blood Cancer Support Group (leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's lymphoma)
The UCSF Blood Cancer Support Group is an informal educational support group for hematology and bone marrow transplant patients. Family members and friends are welcome. Registration is required.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 353-2965
Brain Tumor Support Group
The UCSF Brain Tumor Support Group is provided for patients, family members and caregivers to share experiences and concerns, and to learn from each other.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First Wednesday of the month (no meeting in December), 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Contact: (415) 990-4461 or (415) 661-1442
Brain Tumor Caregiver Support Group
The UCSF Brain Tumor Caregiver Support Group is facilitated by a social worker who specializes in neuro-oncology. This emotional support group is open to caregivers of UCSF neuro-oncology patients only. Registration is required. Visit the UCSF Brain Tumor Center's Neuro-Oncology Gordon Murray Caregiver Program to learn more about support services for caregivers.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Contact: (415) 514-5674
Breast Cancer Support Group (advanced breast cancer)
The UCSF Advanced Breast Cancer Support Group is offered for patients who have been diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First and third Tuesday of the month, 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 476-3315
Breast Cancer Support Group (general breast cancer)
The UCSF General Breast Cancer Support Group is offered for patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in stage 1, 2 or 3.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Third Thursday of the month. 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 353-9874
Cáncer de Sangre - Grupo de Apoyo en Español para pacientes de UCSF
Nuestro grupo de apoyo brinda un espacio seguro para conectarse con otras personas que se enfrentan al cáncer.
Lugar: En línea: Comuníquese con nosotros para recibir información y disponibilidad.
Reuniones: Cada cuarto jueves del mes de 2:30 p. m. a 3:30 p.m.
Contacto: Llámenos al 415-502-4636 o envíenos un email a [email protected] para registrarse.
Colorectal Cancer Support Group
The UCSF Colorectal Cancer Support Group provides space for people living with various types of colon cancer to share experiences, concerns and questions. Partners are also welcome to attend.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Second and fourth Monday of the month, 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Contact: Vittorio Comelli, (415) 203-9619 or [email protected]
Gynecological Cancer Support Group
The UCSF Gynecological Cancer Support Group is a drop-in support group for women who have been diagnosed with any kind of gynecological cancer and are in any stage of treatment.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First and third Wednesday of the month, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 514-1962
Head and Neck Cancer Education and Support Group
The UCSF Head and Neck Cancer Education and Support Group is a free monthly gathering open to patients and caregivers. Teaches tools for coping with both physical and emotional aspects of head and neck cancer. Educational sessions and support groups alternate each month. It's an opportunity to learn, share and support one another.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Third Thursdays of the month, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Contact: Dennis Ho, (415) 514-6338 or [email protected] or the UCSF Patient and Family Cancer Support Center, (415) 885-3693 or [email protected]
Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Support Group
The UCSF Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Support Group is available for all patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, noon – 1:30 p.m.
Contact: (415) 885-7789
Neuroendocrine Tumor Support Group
The UCSF Neuroendocrine Tumor Support Group is open to patients with these cancers as well as their partners and caregivers.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First Wednesday of odd-numbered months, noon – 2 p.m.
Contact: (415) 502-1887
Prostate Cancer Support Group
The UCSF Prostate Cancer Support Group is open to patients as well as partners, family members, friends and caregivers.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, 1 – 3 p.m.
Contact: (415) 514-1707
Prostate Cancer Support Group for Gay Men
The UCSF Prostate Cancer Support Group for Gay Men is offered as a place for gay men and their partners to exchange information, support each other and improve symptom management. It is open to UCSF patients and also to the community.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First and third Monday of the month, 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Contact: Vittorio Comelli, (415) 203-9619 or [email protected]
Peer Support by Phone
The UCSF Peer Support Program offers cancer patients the opportunity to speak with an individual who has "been there" – a cancer survivor or someone who is farther along in their treatment. All cancer patients are welcome regardless of where they receive medical care. As fully as possible, patients are matched with peer support volunteers according to criteria such as diagnosis, cancer stage and age, or by preference of the person seeking support.
Serious Illness Support Group
The Serious Illness Support Group provides an opportunity for people with serious illnesses, including cancer, to share feelings and experiences, and learn from one another.
Location: Online. Please contact us for information and availability.
Meetings: First and third Tuesday of the month, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Contact: The MERI Center at (415) 509-8645 or Gayle Kojimoto at [email protected]
To learn about Bay Area support groups held in Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese, as well as groups for African American women, please contact the Patient and Family Cancer Support Center.
Young Women’s Breast Cancer Support Group
The UCSF Breast Care Center’s Young Women’s Support Group is for women 45 years or younger with early stage breast cancer receiving care at UCSF. We hope to enable shared stories, connection, and learning.
Co-facilitators: Chiara Leifer LCSW & Debby Hamolsky RN, MSN
Expert faculty and staff guest speakers will join us.
Location: Hybrid. Please contact us for information
Meetings: (Fall 2024 Cohort) Mondays, 5-6:30PM, bi-weekly. Begins October 7th, 2024.
Contact: [email protected]
Our support groups are made possible in part by a generous donation from the Donna Smith Fund. Donna fought cancer with an indomitable spirit and left a legacy of encouraging patient and family participation in each cancer care journey.
