Riverside Cancer Care - Support & Resources

A common feeling among patients diagnosed with cancer is a sense of being alone, of not being able to share their concerns, anxieties and fears, even with family and loved ones. That situation and the importance of being empowered through information and common experiences is the basis for the emphasis that Riverside Cancer Care places on education and support. This support includes individual and highly personalized assistance with navigating the complexities of the healthcare system, programs that focus on the emotional needs of patients and the people at home who help provide their care, art and expressive therapies, web resources related to cancer care and a number of support groups for patients and family members and friends.

The Patient Navigation Program
Riverside Cancer Care’s Patient Navigation program helps guide patients and their families through the healthcare system in general and the cancer experience in particular. Riverside wants to help support you and your family through this difficult time. Our Patient Navigators help smooth out an often scary and sometimes isolated road. They will be there to help guide you through tests, treatments and the many questions you might face.

Providing reliable information and comforting support, the Patient Navigators help coordinate care for breast, prostate, and lung cancer patients from a suspicious screening through diagnosis, treatment and cancer survival.

Along with assistance related directly to cancer care, Patient Navigators can also help with concerns about insurance, transportation and a variety of support services. Riverside’s Patient Navigation Program is here for you at no cost.

For more information, please contact:
Yvonne Pike, Patient Navigator
Breast Cancer Program (757) 594-4229

Angie Claud, Patient Navigator
Prostate Cancer Program (757) 534-5195

Patricia Emerson, Patient Navigator
Lung Cancer Program (757) 534-5196

Nurse Educator
Fran Holcomb is Riverside Cancer Service’s Nurse Educator. As an Oncology Certified Nurse, Fran is a community resource for cancer patients and their family, friends, and significant others. Fran can help with breast and cervical cancer early detection programs, cancer screenings and other prevention materials. Her office is located adjacent to the Cancer Resources Library, on the 1st floor of the Riverside Cancer Care Center.

Cancer Resources Library
Riverside Cancer Care offers a Cancer Resources Library for cancer patients, family or friends, and those in the community interested in cancer prevention and early detection. The library has lay-oriented books, videos, informative brochures on a wide collection of cancer-related topics. The library is located on the first floor of the Riverside Cancer Care Center and is available free to those in need of information. Cancer Services staff members are available to assist those who visit the library.

Address & Phone Number:
Cancer Resource Library
Riverside Cancer Care Center
1st Floor
12100 Warwick Boulevard
Newport News, Virginia 23601

The Peninsula Cancer Support Group (PCSG)
The Peninsula Cancer Support Group was started in 1988 to answer the needs expressed by cancer survivors and their loved ones for practical support. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month. The monthly meeting is an information session, which features a guest speaker addressing a particular cancer related topic. Such programs have included: wellness forum-resources and tips, nutrition, stress management, cancer treatment advances and insurance and tax issues. These meetings are open to the general public and feature a Physicians Corner to address medical questions for the audience.

On the fourth Monday of the month, a support meeting is held. Two separate group meetings simultaneously allow patients and loved ones an opportunity to voice concerns in an open and comfortable atmosphere. Group members can share questions, experiences, feelings, and coping strategies that have proven effective. The group member, as the cancer survivor or supporter, is the “expert.” Groups are facilitated by healthcare professionals trained in group work. Support meetings are open to anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis or is supporting someone through cancer diagnosis, treatment, and/or survivorship.

Bereavement Group
Riverside Hospice provides bereavement support to assist adults in adjustments during the initial period of mourning and into the actual work of grief after the death of a loved one. To assist in this process, group and individual counseling are provided to those who are in need of this service. There is an evening group, which meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month. This group is open to the community at large and to any type of loss resulting from the death of a loved one. They are designed for adults 18 years of age and older; both are free of charge. Individual bereavement counseling is available for a limited number of sessions to provide additional support when needed. This service is also free of charge. Bereavement education is also available to area groups such as physician offices, universities, and service organizations who wish to learn more about the grief process or who are interested in helping others with the grief process.