Urban Balance is committed to supporting causes and organizations that our therapists’ are passionate about. This month, we donated funds to Cancer Wellness Center, an organization that provides supportive care and education to improve the emotional and physical well-being of people affected by cancer. UB Therapist Sari Ticker, PsyD provides information about Cancer Wellness Center and the importance of the organization:
In addition to my time with Urban Balance, I also work at the Cancer Wellness Center in Northbrook, providing free counseling services to patients and their families who have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis. I have seen first-hand the amazing work that this organization does, as well as the outcome for the people that it serves. Many ask me how one can work in “what must be a depressing place.” The center is anything but that. It is warm and welcoming, while providing community, empathy, and support.
The Cancer Wellness Center was founded almost 30 years ago as a volunteer-based non-profit organization to improve the lives of people living with cancer. The center emphasized its principle of providing free services to cancer patients and their loved ones. Since its opening in 1989, the Cancer Wellness Center has expanded its services and programs in effort to better serve people with cancer in the greater Chicago area.
Today, the Center provides educational programs, wellness activities and support services to treat the cancer patient from a holistic perspective. Services are appropriate for patients with a recent diagnosis through post-treatment care, including bereavement services. Additionally, the center offers services to children and adolescents as well. The center’s mission is to help anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis in navigating the emotional side of a diagnosis; find targeted, individualized programs; and highly-skilled licensed health professionals to smooth the journey through cancer.
Services include learning from top experts in the field, meditation and yoga classes, nutrition services, massage and acupuncture, as well as individual therapy and group support facilitated by licensed professionals. Most recently, the Center has built a demonstration kitchen as an effort to expand nutrition-based services, which are offered both at the individual and group level.
The center is located in Northbrook, but also has satellite locations including a site in Grayslake and partnerships with hospitals on the North Shore.
Testimonials:
“The Center became a refuge for me… I could cry, laugh, talk and be as honest as I wanted to be. This was a safe place to talk about sometimes frightening things. It was a place to learn and grow.”
“At the Center I was able to share my fears and it was so comforting.”
“I realized I was not alone.”
“The Center taught me how to live life again.”
How to get involved:
There are plenty of ways to get involved, and the center welcomes the support of the communities and residents in the greater Chicago area. Families, volunteers, donors and outreach liaisons play vital roles at the Cancer Wellness Center, as programs and services would not be possible without them. There are ongoing opportunities for fundraising, event participation, in-center volunteering and more.
If you would like more information on volunteering, please contact the Center at 847-509-9595. You can also visit their website.