Cancer Support & Wellness Services

A diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming and frightening. The first concern for an individual is their physical well-being. But psychosocial and spiritual health are also important and should be integrated into the treatment plan.

Services at MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center

The MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute's psychosocial support program is meant to empower patients to achieve the best quality of life by promoting wellness in mind, body and spirit. This is achieved through support, education, communication and advocacy. The psychosocial support care team focuses on resolving multiple aspects of distress, as well as practical issues of treatment and lifestyle. By providing a sense of wellness at every stage of the cancer journey a patients' physical and emotional well-being can be improved.

Psychosocial care is comprehensive and includes the needs of cancer patients, survivors and their families. The psychosocial support program at TCI is designed to fit the unique needs of each patient and includes:

Patient (Nurse) Navigator
Social Services
Gynecologic Cancer Support Group
Beat the Odds Program
Breast Cancer Support Group
Women Guiding Women
Oncology Life Coach
Us Too Support Group
Cancer Patient & Family Support Groups
Pastoral Care
Cancer Answers

Patient (Nurse) Navigator

Helps newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with care coordination, symptom management, support and expertise to help get them through the journey. Our nurse navigator is an advanced practice oncology nurse who provides support and expertise to patients throughout the continuum of care. Read more about the nurse navigator, Rebecca Crane-Okada. Please call (562) 933-7848 for more information.

Social Services

Our social workers provide a broad spectrum of patient and family services: crisis intervention, brief short-term counseling, access to community resources and advocacy. They also help facilitate support groups. Please call (562) 933-7845 for more information.

Gynecologic Cancer Support Group

Utilize an open format, providing opportunities to share individual stories, learn ways to reduce stress and enhance coping skills while focusing on adaptive and empowering attitudes. This group is facilitated by a clinical social worker and an oncology nurse and is available to anyone in the community, regardless of their financial status. Please call (562) 933-7845 for more information.

Beat the Odds Program

A comprehensive cancer survivor mind-body oncology program designed to help patients and their loved ones effectively deal with the different aspects of cancer and treatment. The program consists of 10 weekly structured classes offering research-based strategies for improving quality of life, symptoms and side effect management to achieve positive-impacted survival after a cancer diagnosis. The program is also offered in a five and a half day retreat format. Please call (562) 961-0155 for more information.

Breast Cancer Support Group

Women Guiding Women

Oncology Life Coach

Offers cancer coaching by providing the guidance and tools needed to feel confident and empowered along the treatment journey. Partnering with a coach can help boost your immune system, reduces stress and anxiety, sleep better, increase your energy and help you stay hopeful in all stages of treatment. One-on-one support to anyone touched by cancer is provided by a certified cancer coach. This service is free, personal and confidential. Please call (562) 933-0683 for more information.

Us Too Support Group

For men with prostate cancer and the meetings provide unbiased information from experts in areas related to prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation, medications, nutrition, and psychology. Please call (562) 933-0900 for more information.

Cancer Patient & Family Support Groups

Sponsored by Cancer Support Community – Redondo Beach (CSCRB). They are free to the community and provide an opportunity to share information and receive support from other people dealing with the same types of cancer-related issues. The Cancer Patient Group is for adult cancer patients and the family support group is for loved ones and family members of cancer patients. Both groups are facilitated by licensed therapists by CSCRB. Please call (310) 376-3550 for more information.

Pastoral Care

Cancer Answers

TCI's Psychosocial Support Team:

Medical Director, Psychosocial Oncology (cancer support services)
Mariusz Wirga, MD

Oncology Life Coach
Erin Sommerville

Inpatient & Outpatient Social Services
Holly Adams, L.C.S.W.
Amy Baker, L.C.S.W.
Cindy Price, L.C.S.W.

Women Guiding Women: Cancer Support & Education
Cindy Gotz, MPH, CHES
Randal Snyder, MHA

Patient Navigation
Jackie Grandt, RN, ANP-C, AOCN
Rebecca Crane-Okada, PhD, RN, CNS, OCN