The city of Cleveland is known for many things—sports teams, the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, the world-renowned Cleveland Museum of Art, and proximity to Lake Erie and its diverse culture. It is also known for its medical care (including my place of employment, the Cleveland Clinic), which brings people from all over the world to our great city.

From the perspective of cancer care, one place that is unique to Cleveland is The Gathering Place: Facing Cancer—Embracing Life. The Gathering Place opened its doors in January 2000, as a grassroots, nonprofit organization with the intention of meeting the needs of individuals and families touched by cancer. It was founded by Eileen Saffran, LISW-S, a clinical social worker who followed her dream of creating a safe place for people to receive support, find peace and connect with each other as well as resources, all while traveling on the cancer journey.

The philosophy of The Gathering Place is to address the mind, body and spirit through programs and services that are provided free of charge. It strives to meet people wherever they are on their cancer journey, which is one of the reasons it offers a variety of programs and services to any individual who is experiencing cancer. Since its opening in January 2000, it has served more than 40,000 individuals who have made more than 300,000 visits. The Gathering Place currently has two locations in addition to the Richman Family Wellness Center, the gym that hosts its exercises classes.

I learned about The Gathering Place more than 10 years ago when I made the decision to pursue a career in the helping profession. I remember the first time I walked into its doors—a feeling of calmness came over me. Between the soothing colors, sound of flowing water and kind people, I was immediately a part of the environment the staff strives to create, one that is welcoming and peaceful. I started by attending one of the weekly orientation classes, where I learned about their programs and services, toured the facility and took a walk through Norma’s Garden, a beautiful haven in the city.

Programs and Services Offered

Over the years as a participant, volunteer and referral source, I have been a part of the many consistent and changing programs and services The Gathering Place offers anyone touched by cancer. My hope with this article is to share many of the amazing things The Gathering Place offers to our community.

The clinical staff facilitates a variety of support groups, including cancer-specific groups for those living with blood cancers, breast, gynecological and prostate cancers. They also offer support groups for caregivers, adults experiencing grief and loss, African-American women, older adults and a general cancer support group. Clinical social workers also provide short-term, individual counseling.

The Gathering Place has a vast program for children, teens and families. The program director, Casey Durkin, MSSA, LISW-S, is a clinical social worker with more than 30 years of experience. The Kidshop/Teenshop program provides an opportunity for children and teenagers to gather with others their age to learn ways to cope with having an adult family member living with cancer. Bridges has a similar setup to Kidshop/Teenshop, though the focus is bereavement work when an adult has passed away from cancer. Both groups also offer a co-occurring support group for adults. In the summer months, The Gathering Place partners with local organizations to offer Animal Camp for children. Then, the children have the opportunity to learn about a variety of animals as well as about loss and coping strategies. Additionally, the clinical staff provides individual counseling for children and teens and their families at any point on the cancer journey.

The young adult program continues to expand each year. The program started with a monthly support group that has now converted into social events with a support component. Young adults living with cancer and a guest have the opportunity each month to connect with other people their age in a fun, relaxed setting. Recent events include sports, board game nights and meet-ups in Norma’s garden.

Art therapy is offered in the children and teens programs as well as through a variety of classes for adults. Some recent classes include yarn works, clay, poetry and music, journaling, coloring and silk-scarf painting. Music therapy through drumming is offered as well. Both of these modalities help to decrease stress and enhance energy. Additional services offered are meditation, relaxation, mindfulness, reiki, massage and reflexology.

The exercise and nutrition program is one that also deserves to be highlighted. Beth Bennett, PT, MA, MS, RDN, LD, the program director, as well as Stephen Cerne, BS, NSCA-CPT, ACSM/ACS-CET, bring many years of experience to The Gathering Place as they focus on physical wellness on the cancer journey. They offer several classes each month including strength-building exercise, balance, dance, tai chi, yoga and Zumba. Hands-on cooking classes are offered each month in addition to individual nutrition consultation at any time.

Quarterly, there are a variety of special lectures and workshops. Current topics include moving forward after cancer treatment, symptom management, genetics and navigating through cancer. Doctors from our local hospitals also volunteer their time to provide education programs to participants; some topics include information about a cancer diagnosis and updates on treatment options.

Furthermore, there are one-on-one services, including medical bill and life planning consultations. Eileen Coan, MA, MLS, a medical librarian, meets one-on-one with participants to help them obtain information on a variety of cancer-related topics. Lastly, women can receive a free, synthetic wig at the Regina Bret Wig Salon during a one-on-one appointment.

In addition to the direct services and programs they provide to participants, The Gathering Place has an active presence in our community. It spotlights local artists at each of their two locations, brings people together at its annual Race for the Place and participates in dragon boating on Lake Erie each summer.

Overall

With all it provides, The Gathering Place has well established itself as a supportive community in the city of Cleveland. It is my impression that many health care professionals agree that The Gathering Place is essential to an individual’s cancer journey. As an oncology social worker, I am grateful to have them to turn to at any time. I am confident that incredible staff will always offer support and collaborate on helping our patients and their support systems. This is something that has proven to be invaluable to my oncology social work practice. For all that The Gathering Place provides, I am grateful. Information about The Gathering Place can be found at www.touchedbycancer.org.