Sharsheret Launches New Program For Breast Cancer Support Group Leaders
Teaneck, New Jersey (February 21, 2007) — Sharsheret, a national not-for-profit organization supporting young Jewish women facing breast cancer, has launched Sharsheret Supports, a new program designed to educate breast cancer support group leaders about the unique concerns of Jewish women living with breast cancer.
Sharsheret Supports offers facilitator training and resources to assist in beginning and sustaining a culturally-sensitive breast cancer support group. A National Resource Directory will help identify many Jewish organizations and cancer organizations that can be shared with support group members. Sharsheret will also provide support group leaders with suggested topics on pertinent issues such as the role of religion in daily life with cancer, the implications of increased risk of genetic mutations for Jewish families, and the impact of breast cancer on Jewish ritual such as preparing for holidays, Mikvah, or hair covering, as a springboard for discussions among group members. The Sharsheret Forum, accessed from the Sharsheret website, www.sharsheret.org, will feature monthly topics and will offer groups the opportunity to add comments, questions, or suggestions that arise from group discussions. Additionally, support groups can utilize the consultation services of Sharsheret representatives who can train local support group leaders and lead a sample support session.
“As the country’s leading expert on the concerns of Jewish women facing breast cancer, Sharsheret is in a unique position to offer critical guidance and resources to those supporting Jewish women facing breast cancer at the local level,” said Director of Operations Elana Silber. “This program will benefit Jewish community leaders by saving them the resources and time they may have expended to address the unique concerns of Jewish women facing breast cancer. Moreover, participants in the program will benefit from the pooled culturally-sensitive resources available to them through Sharsheret.”
About Sharsheret
Since the organization’s founding in 2001, Sharsheret has received more than 10,000 phone calls from those affected by breast cancer, health care professionals, women’s organizations, Jewish organizations, and others interested in learning more about the important services Sharsheret provides nationwide.
Sharsheret has developed three core programs in response to the needs of young Jewish women facing breast cancer: The Link Program, a peer support network connecting young women newly diagnosed or at high risk of developing breast cancer with others who share similar diagnoses and experiences, Education and Outreach Programs, including health care symposia addressing the concerns of young women facing breast cancer, and Quality of Life Programs, including the Busy Box for young parents facing breast cancer, Best Face Forward to address the cosmetic side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and Embrace, a support program for women living with advanced breast cancer.
For more information about Sharsheret or Sharsheret Supports, please call Director of Operations Elana Silber at (866) 474-2774.