We’re here for you
Dear Friends in the Cholangiocarcinoma Community,
In this uncertain time, we want you to know, wherever you are that we are with you. Distance and physical separation cannot break the bonds we have made in this community. This organization was born out of a family’s need to find resources and connect to others. We understand how isolating cancer can be and doubly so in these times. We are committed to moving our mission forward during this global outbreak.
The COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly, causing uncertainty and a new normal for many of us. Some of us are in self-isolation, others quarantined or on the front lines of battling this epidemic. We do not want you to feel alone. Please know that you can count on us to continue to provide the most updated resources pertinent to cholangiocarcinoma and to navigating your treatment and care during this epidemic.
Our entire team is with you. We are a virtual organization; we work remotely and have done so since our beginning. Although we can’t travel to meetings, we are in daily contact with our scientific and medical leadership. We are all together in this. Here are the immediate steps we are taking to stay connected:
Resources: We have compiled and will continue to update a list of resources on our website. Please check back daily as we will continue to upload the latest news and information.
Connections: Our social media pages and website are rich with contributors who want to connect and who understand your unique concerns. Visit our Facebook or LinkedIn pages to meet others in the community. Join and Contribute to our online discussion board, where you can learn and share with others on relevant cancer topics such as chemotherapy, grief management, nutrition and more.
Education: Although our in-person events are all on hold, we will be providing virtual education experiences including online gatherings, interactive video updates, and forums. Sign up at our website so you are getting the most updated offerings. We will also be offering special content to help manage anxiety, depression, and fear during this health crisis.
Help: Were you planning a fundraiser that was cancelled and you don’t know what to do? Reach out to our development team. Are you concerned about staying healthy when you have to go to a medical appointment? Our advocacy team can help you. If you have questions and don’t know where to turn, reach out to us. We will try to get you directed to the right information. You are not alone, we are with you.
Just as we commit to being here for you, we ask that you commit to being there for one another. Here is what we can do together to help one another.
Good practices – DO THE FIVE
- Wash your hands,
- Cough/sneeze into your elbow,
- Don't touch your face,
- Stay more than 3ft (1m) away from others,
- Stay home if you feel sick
Reach out - Whether a phone call, email, text or a handwritten greeting card, please take a few minutes to connect with someone in this community who could use a pick me up.
Thank those on the front lines – Send a note of encouragement to our CCA medical care teams. Our physicians, researchers and other healthcare providers are all working around the clock to staff hospitals, implement best practices, and care for those who are sick from COVID-19. You can send them a short, personal video message to lift their spirits and encourage them. Please record a 30 second or less message and forward it to Allison Thomas. We will be sending these messages to the professionals in our community regularly.
Share – If you find a good resource that would help others in this trying time please send it to us. We will share relevant information with our community. The cancer community knows more than most about social distancing and self-quarantining, help us educate the wider community about how to stay safe and how to make others safer.
Please remember, we are with you.
Stacie Lindsey, CEO & Founder
Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation