In 2024, Cancer Support Team (CST) supported 1,051 cancer patients and caregivers, including 659 individuals who received ongoing in-home services and 388 who received one-time assistance. Our clinical team conducted 7,075 visits to cancer patients, both in-person and via telehealth. Nearly 50 patients were Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe (BET) area residents.
CST collaborates with 30+ community organizations across the county. Within the BET area and Community Fund cohort, we partner with:
– Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
– The Bereavement Center of Westchester
– The Tuckahoe Senior Citizens Council
– The Bronxville and Eastchester Rotary Clubs
– Town of Eastchester Office of the Aging
CST also partners with Westchester hospice programs, hospitals, and medical providers, including those in the BET area: Jansen Hospice, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York-Presbyterian Westchester Hospital (NYPW), White Plains Hospital Center for Cancer Care (WPHCCC), Open Door Family Medical Centers, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, WESTMED Medical Group, and Optum Care.
We are often called “the eyes and ears” of the healthcare team because we provide insights into what happens at home. CST also conducts community health education programs with many of its partners.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Westchester County, with over 5,800 residents diagnosed annually, exceeding the national average.
Delayed screenings and treatment due to COVID-19 have led to more late-stage diagnoses (often more expensive to treat), creating a greater need for comprehensive and accessible support services. With soaring healthcare costs and daily living expenses, more cancer patients are struggling to pay medical bills and cover basic needs, especially food, and are feeling more stressed and overwhelmed than ever.
Cancer Support Team (CST) addresses these challenges by offering wraparound care that helps patients manage the physical, emotional, and financial burdens of cancer, empowering them to complete treatment and improve their quality of life.
Our interdisciplinary team includes registered nurses, licensed oncology social workers, case managers, and dedicated volunteers.
CST nurse counselors (some EN/ES speaking) provide critical in-home support and alleviate fears, helping overwhelmed patients understand their diagnosis, navigate treatment options, and manage symptoms like pain and fatigue. Patients and caregivers receive Chemo Comfort Kits, Life Lines, CST’s bilingual (English/Spanish) resource guide for oncology services, nutritional strategies to maintain strength, and access to wigs, prostheses, and lymphedema therapy resources. Nurses empower patients to self-advocate, offering emotional support during medical appointments.
CST’s bilingual case managers (English/Spanish) ease the burden of financial worries by connecting underserved patients to vital resources, including health insurance, Medicaid, Social Security, food stamps, and affordable medication programs. They address housing, childcare, transportation, financial, and legal challenges, ensuring patients can focus on their health.
Our licensed social worker offers individual and family counseling to help patients and family members/caregivers cope with cancer’s emotional toll. Services also include bereavement counseling and monthly virtual support groups, such as those for ovarian cancer patients, patients managing anxiety, and cancer survivors navigating life after treatment (launched in 2024).
CST volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments and assist with errands, easing logistical burdens for patients undergoing treatment. CST also provides limited funding for non-insurance-covered expenses, such as transportation, medical equipment, rent, utilities, and food.
CST is the only Westchester-based home-care program that is solely focused on cancer and provides in-home services to those with cancer and their family members and caregivers at any stage of the disease at no cost and without regard to insurance coverage.
Evan M Graboyes, Simon C Lee, Stacy Tessler Lindau, Alyce S Adams, Brenda A Adjei, Mary Brown, Gelareh Sadigh, Andrea Incudine, Ruth C Carlos, Scott D Ramsey, Rick Bangs, Interventions addressing health-related social needs among patients with cancer, JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume 116, Issue 4, April 2024, Pages 497–505, https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djad269
Coughlin, S. S., Dean, L. T., & Cortes, J. E. (2021). Financial assistance programs for cancer patients. Current cancer reports, 3(1), 119–123. https://doi.org/10.25082/ccr.2021.01.007
Founded in 1978, Cancer Support Team (CST) is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) home-care program licensed by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). We provide professional in-home nursing education and support, social work counseling, case management, and other cancer-related services to Westchester County oncology patients and their families. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by cancer, focusing on reducing healthcare disparities and increasing access to essential services.