Programs
We offer many wonderful programs, including opportunities for Cancer Connection participants to enjoy programs through All Out Adventures. In addition to our regular on-going educational and creative programs like Feldenkrais (Make Friends With Your Body), Knitting, Rest to Heal, Qigong Yoga, Creative Writing, Mindfulness, and Music & Movement, we are offering one-time workshops on cooking for nutrition, art, gardening and much more. More information can be found below.
Like all our services, Cancer Connection offers programs free of charge for people living with a cancer diagnosis, their families, and caregivers.
Confidentiality
All of the confidentiality norms and expectations of the standard Cancer Connection Confidentiality Agreement for participants and facilitators remains in effect for telephone, online, or in person activities. We ask all participants to keep confidential the identity of others they meet in group activities, and not to disclose any personal information that is shared in a support group or program to anyone outside of that meeting. We can talk about ideas outside of the group, but not about people.
Registration
Registration requirements vary by program. Please see below for details on each of our programs and information on how to join them.
Like all our services, Cancer Connection offers programs free of charge for people living with a cancer diagnosis, their families, and caregivers.
See our One-Time Workshops & Seasonal section or our On-Going Weekly Program section below for program descriptions, or visit the calendar to see the complete schedule.
One-Time Workshops & Seasonal Programs
Walking the Walk: On Becoming a More Compassionate and Steady Companion When Someone You Care About Has Cancer
Walking the Walk: On Becoming a More Compassionate and Steady Companion When Someone You Care About Has Cancer with Rob Zucker
Saturday, January 18th, 2025
10 am to 3:00 pm
We've heard so often from those living with cancer that after a diagnosis your life is forever changed. Time is often measured by life before diagnosis and life after diagnosis. Perhaps the same could be said for loved ones of cancer survivors; that their lives too will never be the same. This workshop will address how the rest of us, loved ones and friends, can be truly supportive and available, manage our own fears, and courageously enter the storm of cancer for the people we care deeply about.
Participants in this workshop will:
Better understand triggers that can haunt them while trying to be helpful;
Learn a grief model that captures the magnitude of challenges and losses as well as opportunities associated with living in the midst of absolute uncertainty;
Learn how to apply a four-step strategy for deep listening;
Better become able to be present in the midst of suffering without trying to fix things;
Understand how differing grief styles may affect how we live in a life threatening illness;
Better appreciate how life is never the same after a cancer diagnosis;
Feel more confident and capable in the presence of suffering.
This workshop open to any community member. The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Call Cancer Connection to register: 413-586-1642 x104.
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Rob is a grief counselor, writer, consultant, teacher, and public speaker who has been practicing for over 40 years.
Whole food, plant-based Cooking
Whole food, plant-based Cooking with Paul Sustick
Saturday workshops, 10 am to 1 pm.
Register for one of these workshops: January 18, February 15, March 15, April 19, May 17, June 14
Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet is one of the most fundamental and accessible ways of promoting good health and living well through cancer treatment and beyond.
Come join Paul Sustick of Paul & Elizabeth’s restaurant, as we explore making delicious and nurturing foods that focus on nutrition and incorporating healthful eating habits into daily life.
These workshops will provide instructions on how to transform fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains into delicious healthy meals, empowering you to become a more skilled, confident home cook. Each workshop will include cooking demonstrations and hands-on work as well as practical cooking skills, tips and knife skills.
Bring an apron, cutting board and knife and let’s have some fun while making nourishing, supportive food!
This program is open to anyone with a cancer diagnosis or is a primary caregiver and is free of charge. Registration is required. Priority for each workshop will be given to people who have not attended a cooking workshop before, but previous participants can join if space is available.
The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 to register.
Art Workshop: Cut That Out - Exploring the Art of Paper Cuts
Cut That Out - Exploring the Art of Paper Cuts with Pat Hayes
Saturday, January 25th, 2025
9:30 am to 3:30 pm
In this one session we will be explore the exquisite art of paper cutting which is an old form that has been used by many cultures throughout history. It has been called many names including kirie, wycinanki, ketubah, papiersnyden, and scherenschnitte. The results are beautiful and no experience is necessary.
Generously funded by Rays of Hope, this workshop is open to all people who have, or have had, a breast or gynecological cancer diagnosis in the past 5 years and are new to this years programs
The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Call Cancer Connection to register: 413-586-1642 x104. Limited to 8 participants.
Befriending Our Dreams with Ramsay Raymond
Befriending Our Dreams with Ramsay Raymond, MA, MHC
Saturday, February 8th, 10am-1pm
In this 3-hour workshop, we'll explore how dreams can be a powerful resource for healing and self-discovery, especially during the challenges of living with cancer. As winter draws us inward, we become more attuned to our inner life and the messages it brings.
You'll learn:
Simple techniques to recall and record your dreams
Ways to explore dream imagery and stories
Basic guidelines for interpreting dream metaphors
By befriending our dreams, we open ourselves to experiences and insights that can help resolve, balance, integrate, and inspire our healing journeys. Join us to discover how winter can become a rich season for exploring your dreams and sharing them with others. Handouts will be provided.
Potential Follow-up Sessions: If there's interest, we may continue to meet monthly from February to April. These three extra sessions would provide an opportunity to:
Share key dreams and images that you’ve gathered
Introduce questions and seed intentions into the unconscious
Practice dialogue with dream elements
Further develop skills and appreciation for dreamwork
Support each participant's unique journey
This workshop is suitable for people with cancer and their family members. No prior dream work experience necessary. Please wear comfy clothes and bring writing materials, and a snack if you like.
This program is open to anyone with a cancer diagnosis or is a primary caregiver and is free of charge. Registration is required. Call Cancer Connection to register: 413-586-1642 x104.
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Ramsay's approach is grounded in the spiritual psychology, Psychosynthesis, Gestalt, Native American, and Jungian perspectives, as well as body work, expressive arts, and energy healing. She founded The Dreamwheel in 1994 in Concord, MA to encourage dreamwork as a resource for psychological development, spiritual life, and creative endeavor. ** Her work has long supported the emerging archetypal Feminine in both women and men, emphasizing right-brain ways of knowing.
Throughout her career, Ramsay has taught in various holistic education centers, retreat settings, and clinical environments. For 14 years, she served on the core faculty of Interface Foundation, then New England's premier center for holistic education. She has also taught at the Women's Well, the Theosophical Society, Unitarian Universalist Retreats, Boston University's Counseling Center, and NE School for Holistic Health, among others.
Now based in the Pioneer Valley, Ramsay focuses on writing, artmaking, and offering occasional workshops to share her love of dreamwork and its application to creative and healing processes. Her current work is particularly relevant for those navigating health challenges, including cancer, as dreams can offer powerful insights and support during times of personal crisis.
Art Workshop: Trade Deal - Artist Trading Cards
Trade Deal - Artist Trading Cards with Pat Hayes
Saturday, February 22nd, 2025
9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Everyone knows sports trading cards, but a new sensation is creating your own trading cards using a variety of collage, painting, and rubber stamp techniques.
Generously funded by Rays of Hope, this workshop is open to all people who have, or have had, a breast or gynecological cancer diagnosis in the past 5 years and are new to this years programs
The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Call Cancer Connection to register: 413-586-1642 ex 104. Limited to 8 participants.
Sound Healing with Carolyn Walker
Sound Healing Workshop with Carolyn Walker
Saturday, March 1 3-4 pm
Sound Healing is a complementary healing modality which utilizes frequencies from both instruments and the voice to regulate the nervous system. In this workshop, Carolyn will introduce easy-to-use sound healing instruments, speak on how sound affects the mind, body, and spirit, and will demonstrate how Sound Healing works through a Sound Bath. Bring your questions and an open heart!
This program is open to anyone with a cancer diagnosis or is a primary caregiver and is free of charge. Registration is required. Call Cancer Connection to register: 413-586-1642 x104.
Carolyn Walker received her certificate in Therapeutic Sound Healing through the Center of Light Sound Healing and Shamanic Studies in Chester, VT. Carolyn also holds boths a bachelor's in Music Education and Masters in Music Theory from UMass Amherst. She lives in Amherst, MA with her family and 3 cats, where she teaches violin lessons and offers private Reiki and Sound Healing sessions. Find her at www.CranberryHillHealingArts.com
Self-Care Techniques for Lymphatic Drainage
Self-Care Techniques for Lymphatic Drainage with Saskia Cote
Thursday, April 3rd, 5:30-7:30pm. In person and via remote technology
Learn some easy self-care techniques for lymphatic drainage.
We will cover a very short review of the lymphatic system and what you can do yourself on various areas of the body to reduce swelling, followed by questions and answers.
This program is open to anyone with a cancer diagnosis or is a primary caregiver and is free of charge. Registration is required. Call Cancer Connection to register: 413-586-1642 x104.
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Saskia has been in the holistic health field for over 30 years. She teaches massage therapy, manual lymphatic drainage, is a holistic health consultant, and has served on the state board of massage therapy.
On-Going Weekly Programs
* Once registered, you are welcome to attend program classes on a drop-in basis, with no requirement for weekly attendance.
Rest to Heal
Facilitated by Ilana Beigel, using remote technology
Meets every Monday - 11 am to 12 pm
Each Rest To Heal Program Session provides the participant with a guided meditation experience of Yoga Nidra allowing the body to fall into deep relaxation in a state between wakefulness and sleep. Yoga Nidra provides refreshing rest and healing for body and mind. Sleep and rest can be difficult for those with a diagnosis as well as for caregivers. Yoga Nidra can ease pain, relieve anxiety, reduce sleep issues, and bring you to deeper levels of calmness.
Currently meeting using remote technology. The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 to register.
Ilana Beigel
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Ilana has been devoted to the transformative power of holistic health for over 25 years. She not only believes in, but has experienced first hand, the benefits of integrative therapies including yoga, mindful movement, breathwork, visualization, meditation, massage, and yoga nidra.
She teaches throughout the Pioneer Valley and also at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshires. As an Ayurvedic yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner, and yoga teacher trainer, she has dedicated her life and career to sharing modalities that heal body, mind, and soul. In her “other life”, she is a medical speech therapist working with adults rehabilitating from various illnesses including stroke, brain injury, dementia, and cancer. A mom of three, Ilana has been a resident of Amherst for nearly 20 years.
Her aim is to share practices that offer deep and profound healing. She is honored to support you in your wellness journey and is thrilled to offer the Rest to Heal program at Cancer Connection.
For more information, please go to ilanab.com
Mindfulness Program
Facilitated by Mariah Freemole, using remote technology
Meets every Thursday - 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
This program is based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD. The quality and practice of mindfulness can open you to a greater sense of connection to your inner life and the life around you, as well as a calmness that will help you better cope with stress, pain, illness, and worry, during the meetings and at home between sessions.
Currently meeting using remote technology. The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 to register.
Mariah Freemole
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Mariah Freemole has been living and teaching mindfulness in the Pioneer Valley since August 2018. In addition to working with children, Mariah enjoys spending time in nature, reading, and traveling. She practices in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition and is a graduate of the Engaged Mindfulness Institute’s teacher certification program.
“My aspiration in teaching mindfulness is to serve as a facilitator for the ‘uncovering’ of your innate wisdom and insights into what will bring more ease into your life. In my teaching, I strive to offer a variety of different approaches to help you access your inherent peace. Whether you have been thinking about trying a mindfulness class, would like to ask questions about mindfulness, or simply share with others your existing practice, please know you can ‘drop in’ for any class at any time. I would be delighted to have you join us!”
Knitting
Facilitated by Wendy Sinton, MSW, hybrid options
Meets every Monday - 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Knitting can be meditative, relaxing, and a lot of fun. Come learn how to knit and purl at your own pace in a community of creative people. This class is appropriate for new or returning knitters. No experience necessary!
Currently offering both in person and remote meeting options. The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 to register.
Wendy Sinton, MSW
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Wendy Sinton has an MSW and practiced counseling therapy for over 20 years. She has been knitting for over 60 years and has been running the Cancer Connection knitting group for over 15 years. She finds knitting to be a relaxation and centering experience and very helpful in stressful times.
Qigong Yoga
Facilitated by Lynne Smith, hybrid options
Meets Tuesdays - 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Qigong Infused Yoga is a gentle mind/body practice that includes fun breathing exercises, calming movements from Qigong and Gentle Yoga, Balancing Postures, and Meditation. The infusion of Yoga and Qigong is both energizing and relaxing and offers the powerful benefits of BOTH within one practice- including supporting the nervous system affected by chronic illness, anxiety, stress and facilitating healing by inducing the relaxation response in the body.
Currently offering both in person and remote meeting options. The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 to register.
Lynne Smith
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For twenty years, Lynne has been integrating Qigong into all of her Yoga classes and has witnessed many testimonials of the powerful benefits of the practice when Yoga and Qigong are integrated together. She is a Senior Trainer with the Institute of Integral Qigong and T’ai Chi and produced a Qigong Infused Yoga DVD in 2018. She leads online teacher training programs training other instructors from around the world. She is passionate about and committed to Qigong as she continues to experience the powerful benefits and deep transformation that the practice offers.
Learn more about the practice and our instructor here.
Spirit of the Written Word
Facilitated by Pam Roberts, using remote technology
Meets every Tuesday - 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Open yourself to the transformational power of writing as a tool for healing and connecting with yourself and others. Pam provides “prompts” (perhaps a word, phrase, or object) as inspiration and starting point for writing. Writing within the safe, confidential confines of the group feels therapeutic, but we focus on our writing.
Currently meeting using remote technology. The program is free of charge, but registration is required. Please call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 to register.
Pam Roberts
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Pam Roberts is a writer, artist, and certified yoga teacher. A longtime breast cancer survivor, she leads Spirit of the Written Word writing workshops and yoga classes for people impacted by cancer and for the general population. She has been leading the Spirit of the Written Word writing workshop at Cancer Connection since 2003. She also facilitates 1 in 8: The Torso Project, a hands-on healing art experience for women affected by breast cancer consisting of workshops, exhibits and a book.
Cancer Connection participants can now register for All Out Adventures programs
All Out Adventures (AOA) is currently hosting Cancer Connection participants in any of its current programs. Fees for these programs will be paid by Cancer Connection.*
All Out Adventures programs include seasonal adaptive cycling, independent cycling, kayaking, and canoeing and snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sit cross country skiing, ice skating, sled skating in winter and for adults and seniors, including veterans, in various locations in Massachusetts.
*This initial AOA/Cancer Connection project is a pilot program to determine the level of interest in the community for this collaboration. If successful, future All Out Adventures programs will be planned exclusively for Cancer Connection participants.
Once you identify a program
Call All Out Adventures directly at 413-584-2052 or email them. Let them know you’re one of our participants and which program(s) you’d like to join. They can also address any questions about the programs or accessibility.
Call Cancer Connection at 413-586-1642 and let us know you signed up for an AOA program, so we will cover the cost, rather than you!
Learn more about our other services
Befrienders
Befrienders are trained staff and volunteers who listen and support both those who have been diagnosed and caregivers through challenging times.
Integrative Therapies
We offer therapies that treat the symptoms of cancer and offer stress relief and comfort to those living with a diagnoses and the effects of treatment
Support Groups
Support groups offer a place where we can laugh, cry, celebrate, and use humor to find relief in the universality of our experiences.