Working to expand supportive care for serious illnesses like cancer

What is Supportive Cancer Care?

Supportive Cancer Care is a whole-person approach that helps people with cancer and their caregivers get the emotional, physical, and practical support they need—every step of the way, and in ways that are tailored to them. Supportive care services can be categorized into six main areas: physical, psychological/emotional, spiritual, community, environmental and economic, and educational. 
What Supportive Care means to us: Supportive Care provides wraparound services that help address physical and emotional health through steps like counseling, nutrition support, pain management, and access to concrete services such as transportation and telehealth.

Benefits of Supportive Care

The data shows that people who receive early, consistent access to supportive care services feel more in control of their care and that their wishes are better communicated and understood by their loved ones and clinical team. Research and clinical experience in dedicated centers have demonstrated that early appropriate supportive care interventions improve symptoms, quality of life, overall survival, and lower healthcare costs without denying access to services.
We believe that early, ongoing access to Supportive Care, regardless of where a person receives their cancer treatment or their diagnosis, should be the standard of care in the United States. There is substantial research and data that demonstrates how supportive care results in better patient outcomes, improved quality of life for the patient and caregiver, and lowers costs without denying access to services.

How We Work

We work to expand access to supportive cancer care by funding proven solutions, forming active partnerships, and bringing diverse voices to the table. From our long-standing investment in City of Hope to our leadership in launching the Together for Supportive Cancer Care coalition, we’re building a national movement—grounded in research, driven by collaboration, and focused on improving care for people with cancer and their caregivers. Through policy engagement, employer outreach, public education, and community partnerships, we aim to make supportive care the standard—not the exception.
We work to increase access to supportive cancer care through grantmaking, coalition building, public education, and helping fill gaps in research. The Foundation has forged partnerships with organizations across the country who are championing health access and supportive care for people with serious illness. This includes patient and caregiving education, navigation, and support as well as policy improvements.

We are very proud to be a part of the Together for Supportive Cancer Care Coalition

Together for Supportive Cancer Care is a national coalition of organizations from across sectors working to support all people with cancer—improving their outcomes and quality of life, and lowering the cost of care by expanding early, equitable access to supportive cancer care.

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