This program is being offered in a virtual format. In order to participate, please click the RSVP button above or email programs@smithcenter.org.
with Sarah Diehl, MDiv, MS, LCPC
in partnership with Ulman Foundation, Life with Cancer and Hope Connections
Holidays can be a lot. Music, decorations, food, gifts, travel. Overstimulation. Pressure for feelings of joy, even magic. Intensification of social and family time. Aloneness. Add the realities of an unwanted, life-altering event and things get complicated. Sarah Diehl, MDiv, MS, LCPC, a therapist who has worked with people living with cancer for over twenty-five years, will be our guest speaker in November. She will help explore the shadow side of the holidays as well as ideas for taking care.
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About Sarah Diehl, MDiv, MS, LCPC
Sarah Diehl, MDiv, MS, LCPC is a psychotherapist in private practice in Baltimore. She has particular expertise working with people suffering grief and loss, including more than twenty-five years working with people affected by cancer. Prior to becoming a therapist, Sarah held leadership roles in non-profit organizations, and then served as a chaplain with Gilchrist Cares and Johns Hopkins. She has provided support to patients and their loved ones at home, and as part of inpatient palliative and critical care teams. She says, “Along the way, people have helped me better understand the experience of being human – including my own.”
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by emailing stephanie@hopeconnectionsforcancer.org.
with Paula Ernst, LMSW
Paula Ernst, LMSW will explore what children understand and
experience at different ages, tips for having a good conversation,
resources for helping your child thrive through this time, and more.
This program is offering in partnership with Hope Connections for Cancer Support.
About Paula Ernst, LMSW
Paula Ernst is a licensed social worker with extensive experience working with children and families, specializing in guiding them through difficult conversations and challenging situations. Her work started in child protection services, where she supported children in understanding and processing trauma, while coaching families on improving their circumstances. In 2018 she transitioned to working with individuals and families facing cancer by providing wellness services that support their healing journey.
Currently, Paula serves as the Wellness Program Manager at Adventist HealthCare and focuses on providing whole-person care. In this role, Paula strives to ensure that families feel fully supported in all areas of life—physical, mental, and emotional well-being—alongside their medical treatment. Paula oversees programs that include education, movement, nutrition, support groups, counseling, and more, all designed to help families navigate the complexities of a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, Paula works one-on-one with children in order to help them process their emotions and build resilience skills to face life’s challenges.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing olivia@smithcenter.org.
with Montserrat Coughlin Kim
Parents and Caregivers are welcome to join author Montserrat Coughlin Kim as she reads and discusses her award-winning book, My Dad and the Dragon. This children’s book honestly describes what it is like when a parent is diagnosed with cancer through the allegory of a cancer dragon. Cameron, the main character, openly shows kids family life, fears, and joy.
This talk is for parents/grandparents/adults who have a child in their life under the age of 13. We will discuss talking about cancer with kids, handling complex topics, and more.
This program is offering in partnership with Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Life with Cancer, and the Ulman Foundation.
About Montserrat Coughlin Kim
Montserrat Coughlin Kim has a BA from Smith College and an MSW from New York University. My Dad and the Dragon is based on her family’s experience with a cancer dragon. She resides in Montclair, NJ, with her family, their dog, rabbit, and chickens.
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, please click <here> or email programs@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
with Brennan Streck, PhD, RN, MPH in partnership with Hope Connections
Brennan Streck, PhD, RN, MPH, Oncology Nurse and Cancer Prevention Fellow at the National Cancer Institute will help us to better understand the roles and responsibilities of your cancer care team. She will cover how to approach difficult conversations, self-advocacy, and health literacy issues. Brennan looks forward to answering your questions! We are delighted to be co-hosting this program with Hope Connections.
About Brennan Streck, PhD, RN, MPH
Brennan Parmelee Streck, Ph.D., R.N., M.P.H. is a Cancer Prevention Fellow (CPF) in the Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences Branch (BBPSB) of the Behavioral Research Program. Dr. Streck’s research interests focus on the mind-body connection in cancer survivors. She is especially interested in the psycho-emotional impact of cancer and cancer treatment on aging trajectories of survivors. Her work emphasizes the mechanisms which underlie the mind-body connection in this context (physiologic, social, and behavioral), and underscores the contribution of psychological health to morbidity throughout survivorship. Her previous work focused on dyadic processes and interdependent health among patients with cancer and their caregivers, co-depression among patients and partners, and clinical considerations for reducing patient/family distress during palliative chemotherapy decision making. Dr. Streck received her M.P.H. in Epidemiology from the George Washington University, Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Cizik School of Nursing, her M.S.N. in Nursing Education from Duke University, and her B.S.N. from The University of Texas at Austin.
This event will be held in-person at Hope Connections for Cancer Support in Bethesda, MD. Please register below to attend.
In Partnership with Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Life with Cancer and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts
Join other young adult cancer survivors for an in-person meet up.
Hope Connections, Life with Cancer, and Smith Center are hosting an in-person get-together for young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. This gathering is an opportunity to connect with your peers who truly get this experience. Come for good conversations, fun, and light refreshments.
Social Distance and Mask Policy
For this event, we will be outside the entire time and encourage participants to maintain adequate physical distance during the program. We encourage those who are unvaccinated to wear a mask while participating. For those that are vaccinated, masks are optional based on your comfort level.
For young adults, sex is an important topic, and pleasure may be the most important aspect of sex. For young adults with cancer, there are unique questions and concerns about sex and sexual health that the medical team may not be adequately answering, and pleasure is likely never discussed. Join us as we have a frank and honest conversation, and provide accurate information to help support a safe, healthy, and pleasurable approach to sex and cancer.
About Hope Connections
Our mission: To help people with cancer and their loved ones deal with the emotional and physical impact of cancer through participation in professionally facilitated programs of emotional support, education, wellness, and hope.
About
About Life with Cancer
Life with Cancer, a program of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, has become Northern Virginia’s leading cancer education and support organization. We offer a variety of programs and services for patients, survivors, and their family members to help individuals cope with cancer, its treatments, and survivorship in the best possible way.
About Us
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.
You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis at any age is a shock to the system. But for a young adult, it is even more unexpected, traumatic, and often finds us stumbling in the dark. Explore the impact that a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship has on a young adult. We will also review the unique barriers to the young adult cancer population, what’s “normal,” and when to ask for help. Learn some basic coping strategies for dealing with life when it feels like you are struggling just to tread water every day. Facilitated by Oncology Certified Social Worker, Courtney Weaver, LSCW. Courtney is an oncology clinical therapist with Inova’s Life with Cancer program.
About Hope Connections
Our mission: To help people with cancer and their loved ones deal with the emotional and physical impact of cancer through participation in professionally facilitated programs of emotional support, education, wellness, and hope.
About
About Life with Cancer
Life with Cancer, a program of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, has become Northern Virginia’s leading cancer education and support organization. We offer a variety of programs and services for patients, survivors, and their family members to help individuals cope with cancer, its treatments, and survivorship in the best possible way.
About Us
This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register through www.lifewithcancer.org or email Lauren.Broschak@inova.org.
Sometimes, words aren’t enough to describe the emotional impact of cancer on young adults. Join us as we discuss emotional health, explore how art therapy can support young adults coping with cancer, and engage in an art experiential activity.
About Hope Connections
Our mission: To help people with cancer and their loved ones deal with the emotional and physical impact of cancer through participation in professionally facilitated programs of emotional support, education, wellness, and hope.
About
About Life with Cancer
Life with Cancer, a program of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, has become Northern Virginia’s leading cancer education and support organization. We offer a variety of programs and services for patients, survivors, and their family members to help individuals cope with cancer, its treatments, and survivorship in the best possible way.
About Us
