Patient and Family Support Programs
Educational Classes
Virtual and In-Person on Duarte Campus
This class is essential education for all patients and family members. Learn whom to call for answers and help, how to get the most out of your care. Discover the supportive and practical resources available, including educational classes and financial services.
Duarte campus only.
Hybrid: Virtual and In-Person at the Orange County Lennar Patients
Learn who to call for answers and support, how to maximize your appointment time, discover helpful resources and more.
Virtual for all and In-Person on Duarte Campus
Learn how to use and navigate through your patient portal. Learn how to:
- communicate with your care team
- view after visit summaries and notes
- request appointments
- view most test results
- ask for prescriptions and more…
This class is for patients, caregivers and proxy users.
To join, you must have an active MyCityofHope patient portal. This class does not help with signing up.
Please visit mycityofhope.org to sign up for your patient portal.
Hybrid: Virtual and In-Person at the Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Come learn how to use our MyCityofHope patient portal, powered by MyChart! This in-person workshop is for new/current City of Hope patients who have not registered for the MyCityofHope patient portal.
Nutrition Classes
In-Person, Duarte
Learn from our expert dietitians about the latest healthy eating guidelines and more. All topics are especially developed to help answer a variety of the most common questions and challenges related to nutrition and cancer. These classes are for patients, caregivers, and the community.
Hybrid: Virtual for all and In-Person in Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Have you ever wondered what you should or should not be eating while going through cancer treatment? Are there certain foods that can help manage common side effects from chemo and radiation? And is sugar as bad as the media makes it out to be? If so, come join Kailey Proctor, Registered Dietitian and Board-Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition, to learn more about diet and nutrition throughout the cancer continuum, how to manage some nutrition impact symptoms and common cancer diet myths.
You lost your hair. Now What?
Virtual for all and In-Person on Duarte Campus
Learn about hair loss and scalp care in cancer treatment and ways to manage it.
- Chemotherapy
- Emotional suffering and ways to cope
- Cold capping
- Post-chemo hair
- Scalp care tips
In-Person, Duarte
Join City of Hope’s Positive Image Center experts to learn about different wig options and how to care for your wig.
Learn about human hair vs. synthetic wigs, how to measure your head for a wig, how to style and care for your wig, how to properly put on and remove your wig.
In-Person, Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Wig care tips for a positive self-image during cancer treatment. This interactive workshop led by our licensed cosmetology oncology specialist will provide a general overview of the alternative hair options available and scarf styling techniques. She will guide you through an overview of various selections and useful tips on wig care.
A Virtual Class for Women
Learn about sexual health during and after cancer treatment from City of Hope's experts in occupational therapy and rehabilitation. Find tips and strategies to manage challenges like:
- painful sex
- desire and libido
- intimacy
- how fatigue can affect sex and what you can do.
Virtual, English and Spanish
Duarte Campus Caregivers
If your loved one is having a bone barrow/stem cell transplant, this class is a must for caregivers. Join a hematology nurse and clinical social worker to learn about what physical and emotional changes may occur after the transplant, what to do and whom to call for support. This class will prepare you as a caregiver so you can start planning early and to strengthen your own network of support.
Get to know more about City of Hope’s support system for post-transplant patients and caregivers, including social workers, nurses, case managers, and classes and support groups offered through the Sheri & Les Biller Family Resource Center, Duarte campus. Classes are available in Spanish.
R.S.V.P. at HCT Discharge Class for Caregivers or email HCTDischargeClass@coh.org.
Hybrid: Virtual for all and In-Person in Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
This class aims to provide a general understanding of lymphedema--including causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment options. Participants will learn the basics of the lymphatic system and risk factors for lymphedema from certified lymphedema therapists. We will review preventative measures and self-care techniques such as skin care, exercise, and diet to minimize the risk of developing lymphedema. It will also touch upon treatment options and interventions aimed at supporting patients in managing this condition.
Virtual for all and In-Person, Duarte Campus
Join the Center for Health Care Rights to learn about your Medicare coverage options. City of Hope patients, caregivers, and staff are invited to presentations to increase their knowledge of their Medicare coverage options. Topics include:
- Medicare benefits and costs
- Medicare coverage options
- Programs that lower costs
- Medi-Cal and Medicare
- How to prepare for Open Enrollment
- Medicare fraud
Hybrid: Virtual and In-Person at the Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Getting ready to apply for Medicare?
New to Medicare?
Curious about supplemental insurance?
Please come join our educational workshops for the three-month series to learn about the essentials of Medicare and the various coverage options and assistance from the HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program).
Managing the side effects of Cancer Treatment
Virtual for all
Cancer treatment comes with unwanted side-effects. The good news is that they can be managed so you can focus on treatment.
Join City of Hope experts to learn about:
- Nausea, upset stomach and other gastrointestinal side effects
- What do the numbers mean? Understanding blood counts and immunosuppression
- Nutrition during treatment
- Sexual health
- Skin changes and how to manage them
- Handling emotions that occur during treatment
- and so much more.
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Integrative Therapies
Art, music, literature and meditation are all known to lift the human spirit. At our Duarte campus, we offer a number of classes open to the community and workshops to help restore our patients’ and caregivers’ spirits and energy. Programs schedules may vary depending on season and facilitator availability. Check in at the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center for a class schedule.
Virtual for all and In-Person on Duarte Campus
Gentle Yoga is open to patients receiving treatment at all City of Hope locations and their caregivers. This class is designed to help improve range of motion, flexibility, strength and bone health, all while building resilience and connection between the mind and body. Instructor can tailor exercises to your needs, whether it be chair yoga or exercising on the mat. No previous experience required.
Hybrid: Virtual for all and In-Person in Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Join this supportive class to experience and cultivate mind-body relaxation and resilience. This gentle class is appropriate for those experiencing various side effects and issues that arise when on the cancer care continuum. Researched benefits on oncology yoga include relief from anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, and insomnia.
Yoga therapy tools may include:
- breath practices
- meditation
- guided visualization
- relaxation techniques
- somatic movement and more.
- Variations are offered to meet your individual needs.
Virtual for all
Start your day with a morning meditation to help set the tone for your entire day. Led by a trained practitioner, these sessions will guide you through techniques that can help relieve and manage stress and anxiety, enhance health and well-being and improve insomnia. Guided meditation runs approximately 15 minutes, followed by time for Q&A and, if applicable, light stretches.
Hybrid: Virtual for all and In-Person in Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Qigong describes simple movements performed to improve physical, mental, and spiritual fitness, and likewise comes from a background of traditional Chinese martial art, medicine, and culture. We will be practicing traditional Tai Chi movements and Qigong set routines together to cultivate coordination, mindful movement, mental and emotional stress relief, and muscular relaxation, endurance, and flexibility.
Hybrid: Virtual for all and In-Person in Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Services such as meditation and guided imagery can be offered both individually and in a group setting. There is a rapid growing body of research in this area demonstrating the powerful impact on quality of life as well as on other symptoms such as insomnia and pain. Meditation and other mind–body practices are growing in popularity.
These services focus on the interactions between the mind and the body and the powerful ways in which patients can participate in their own healing and health. The services will help patients learn and practice a variety of specific skills such as meditation, guided imagery mindfulness, etc. that will help patients change the way they deal with stress and illness.
In-Person, Duarte
Join us to learn a new craft during this monthly arts and craft class. Each class will feature a different topic. All supplies are included and no previous art experience is required. This is an instructor-led class. Stop by to create, chat with others, or have some “me” time!
Use These Resources Today
For a complete listing of offerings at the Duarte main campus, in your community or online, visit our Support Services Calendar or contact the Biller Patient and Family Resource Center.
Positive Image CenterSM
The Positive Image Center helps men and women with managing the appearance-related side effects of surgery and cancer treatment. It is a safe, private environment where patients and their families receive individualized compassionate care from professional, licensed cosmetologists. The center also operates a specialty shop with an array of merchandise such as wigs, head-wraps, scarves, radiation creams, cosmetics and skin-care products.
The Nightingale Channel: A Sound Approach to Wellness
Available when connected to City of Hope Wifi on Duarte Campus
The Nightingale Channel is a video channel of curated classical music performances, specifically with the patient experience in mind. Classical music can be beautiful, fun, sometimes curious and unusual, other times soothing and comforting, and it can be deeply moving.
In recent years, an array of studies points to the benefits on health outcomes provided by music. The preliminary research that has been done so far suggests that music-based interventions may be helpful for anxiety, depressive symptoms, and pain associated with a variety of health conditions.
Access the Nightingale Channel when you are on site at City of Hope Duarte campus.
You will need to be connected to the City of Hope WiFi network to access the channel.