Spanish-Speaking Support Group Seeks To Help Cancer Patients

GENEVA, IL — In an effort to aid and support people who are diagnosed with cancer, Northwestern Medicine's LivingWell Cancer Resource Center is offering a Spanish-speaking support group for people who need it.

LivingWell, which offers free counseling and social work services to help cancer patients and their families, has facilities on Williamsburg Avenue in Geneva. But the group meets virtually, meaning anyone living in Illinois is welcome to join, according to Northwestern officials.

The newly offered program is intended to help people going through cancer treatment connect without the worry of a language barrier.

"We identified a need for services for our Spanish-speaking community members impacted by a cancer diagnosis," Nancy Nieto, a bilingual counselor and facilitor of the support group, said in a statement. "People can often feel more comfortable when they're able to connect with someone who comes from a similar background and speaks the same language as them, especially when going through a period in their life where they may feel more vulnerable."

The support group will take place virtually at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. To register, interested people can email counseling@livingwellcrc.org and include their first and last name as well as "grupo de español" in the subject line.