NHCI Support and Survivorship Resources and Services
As Georgia’s leading provider of cancer care, Northside Hospital Cancer Institute (NHCI) offers a full range of cancer support and survivorship resources and services to address the practical, spiritual, emotional, financial and physical challenges cancer patients may face.
For many, a cancer diagnosis can bring feelings of loneliness, sadness or loss of control. Northside Hospital’s community of care represents a network of support and survivorship resources and services specifically for cancer patients. Our patients are supported by a team of oncology patient navigators, social workers, dieticians, and many others who work together to provide support during cancer treatment and into recovery.
Northside Hospital Cancer Institute provides numerous clinical support services; practical and emotional support services; cancer support groups; and, annual awareness, fundraising and survivor celebration events.
As part of our comprehensive approach to cancer care, the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute focuses on healing the whole person, both physically and emotionally. Our clinical cancer support services are designed to assist cancer patients at various points along the cancer care continuum. We offer a full range of cancer support and survivorship resources and services that are accessible to patients during and after their cancer treatment.
Cancer Genetics
NHCI’s Cancer Genetics Program is available to patients interested in genetic counseling and testing due to strong personal or family histories of cancer. Certified genetic counselors are available to assist with assessing, understanding and reducing each patient’s risk of developing certain types of genetically influenced cancer such as breast and ovarian cancer. To learn more about genetic counseling, eligibility criteria or genetic testing options, patients and community members are invited to attend one of our free cancer genetics education classes held monthly at the Cancer Support Community.
Visit our Cancer Genetics Program page for more information about our locations and the services we provide.
Nutrition plays a major role in cancer treatment and patient outcomes. Northside’s dietitians are board-certified specialists of oncology nutrition. Our oncology dieticians offer nutrition consults and patient education to ensure cancer patients’ dietary needs are addressed before, during and after cancer treatment.
A cancer diagnosis is challenging and can cause great uncertainty for patients and their loved ones. The members of the oncology patient navigation team provide patients with the guidance, education and support they need to better understand their treatment plan, access oncology support services and overcome any barriers to care they may be facing. This invaluable cancer support service is offered by our patient navigation team – oncology nurse navigators, cancer care liaisons, and an American Cancer Society patient resource navigator.
Cancer and cancer treatments may sometimes cause conditions such as pain, fatigue and balance issues or may limit a person’s ability to do routine activities. Oncology rehabilitation is similar to other forms of health rehabilitation that may be used before, during or after cancer treatment, but is specifically designed to help address cancer-related symptoms.
Our Oncology Rehabilitation Program, through Northside Hospital's Rehabilitation Services, is supported by certified oncology rehabilitation physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Specialty rehabilitation services are available for the treatment of lymphedema, swallowing therapy, pelvic health management and wound care. If patients have concerns or difficulties with activities that they did not experience until after cancer diagnosis, oncology rehabilitation may be able help.
Northside Hospital’s Psych-Oncology Program represents a specialty area within Behavioral Health Services with a focus on understanding and treating the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual and functional aspects of cancer from prevention through bereavement.
A team of oncology clinical social workers assist patients undergoing cancer treatment with reducing their emotional distress and improving their quality of life. Services are provided at locations across Georgia including all three Northside Hospital campuses, Northside Hospital Cancer Institute Outpatient Infusion Centers, and Northside Hospital Cancer Institute Radiation Oncology Centers. For more comprehensive and/or long-term psychological support, we offer referrals to our Outpatient Behavioral Health Services Clinic in Atlanta.
Oncology Social Work/Behavioral Health
Primary Location:
Northside Hospital Atlanta Outpatient Behavioral Health Services 6105 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Building F, Suite 155 Atlanta, GA 30328
Northside Hospital offers free prostate and skin cancer screenings throughout the year at a variety of convenient locations. Registration is required. Call 404-531-4444 between 8:30 AM and 4 PM, Monday through Friday to register for a cancer screening event. Qualified interpreters are available at each screening event. Please inform registration staff of your language preference.
Prostate Cancer Screenings
Prostate cancer screenings consist of a simple blood test to measure the amount of PSA (protein-specific antigen) in the blood. Men are strongly encouraged to have all the facts before making the decision to undergo PSA testing.
Men who meet the follow criteria are eligible to register and attend a Northside Hospital Cancer Institute prostate cancer screening event:
Men who are between the ages of 45-75
Men who do not have a prostate cancer diagnosis
Men who have not had a PSA blood test within the past year
Your PSA test results will be mailed to you approximately 10-14 business days following the screening. For men with an elevated PSA blood level, you will also receive a call from an oncology nurse navigator who will answer any questions you may have and provide assistance with scheduling a follow up appointment with an urologist if indicated.
Our community skin cancer screenings take place in a private setting and consist of a brief skin assessment by a medical professional. Exposed areas such as your face, arms, hands, neck and feet will be examined. Screenings are open to adults 18 year and older.
Skin cancer screenings are not intended to take the place of comprehensive skin exams. For a more in-depth examination, please schedule an appointment with your dermatologist.
Our Screen Atlanta Mobile Mammography unit, made possible through a generous grant from the Northside Hospital Atlanta Auxiliary, offers breast cancer screening mammograms at various locations throughout the metro Atlanta area and surrounding counties. Screen Atlanta is certified by the American College of Radiology and Food and Drug Administration, and meets Mammography Quality Standards Act Requirements. Mammograms provided on the mobile unit meet the same quality standards as those provided at our outpatient imaging locations. Each mammogram is performed by a Northside Hospital registered radiology technologist, with advanced training and certification in mammography, and is interpreted by a board-certified radiologist, who has received advanced training in breast imaging.
People who have had a cancer diagnosis may experience feelings of loneliness, sadness or a loss of control - even when they are surrounded by loving and supportive family and friends. Northside Hospital Cancer Institute offers a variety of of practical and emotional support services to patients who are ready to talk about their cancer with others who understand. Our caring cancer professionals and dedicated volunteers are available to help patients develop coping strategies, as well as provide emotional support during their treatment and recovery.
To learn more about the variety of practical and emotional support services, please expand the content below.
A Wellness Place at Northside
For many women and men with cancer, a major concern is how their treatments will affect their physical appearance. A Wellness Place at Northside offers custom and ready-to-wear specialty health care products to help patients look and feel their best every day. Scarves, turbans, hats and custom cut and colored natural and synthetic wigs are available for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Additionally, the experienced staff will help fit women who have undergone breast surgery for post-surgical or mastectomy bras and camisoles, attachable breast forms, partial forms and swimwear. Free consultations with A Wellness Place trained staff are available by appointment.
Cancer Support Community (CSC) Atlanta is the local chapter of the world's largest nonprofit provider of psychosocial oncology programs. CSC Atlanta provides cancer patients and their family members with opportunities to learn, exercise and socialize in a home-like setting. There are no costs associated with CSC Atlanta’s services or programs, and all activities are open to anyone who has been affected by cancer.
In addition to hosting seminars and workshops on topics such as nutrition (cooking demonstrations) and mind-body services, Cancer Support Community Atlanta also hosts and facilitates Cancer Support Groups. These support groups are topic or cancer diagnosis specific and many are open to drop-in participation.
Cancer Support Community Atlanta
Primary Location
Cancer Support Community Atlanta 5775 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Building C, Suite 225 Atlanta, GA 30342
Lack of transportation can be a major barrier to receiving cancer screening exams or treatments. Many people go without much needed medical care because they do not have a car, cannot drive or live too far away. Thanks to the generosity of the Colon Cancer Alliance’s Undy 5000, Northside Hospital has funding to provide one-way or round trip transportation for eligible patients to their colorectal cancer-related appointments or pharmacy visits such as:
Network of Hope (NoH) connects cancer patients with trained volunteers who have also faced cancer and embraced life afterward. Volunteer cancer survivors and caregivers are available to mentor cancer patients throughout their treatment.
In 2015, as part of a grant received from the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance, Northside Hospital Cancer Institute launched the Woman to Woman program as a specialty area within Network of Hope. Woman to Woman provides expanded mentoring support specifically for women with gynecologic (GYN) cancers.
Camp Hope, funded by the Northside Hospital-Atlanta Auxiliary, is an annual three-day weekend retreat held at Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge, Georgia, for adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. Camp Hope’s mission is to create a healing environment for those living with cancer by fostering meaningful relationships with others through shared experiences, relaxation and fun.
Built To Quit – Resources to Help You Stop Smoking and Using Tobacco
Northside Hospital Cancer Institute offers various smoking and tobacco resources to provide education and help individuals quit smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes and using other forms of smokeless tobacco including chewing tobacco and dissolvable tobacco. Our Built To Quit program offers inpatient cessation consults and a six-week cessation class to educate participants about the hazards of smoking and using tobacco products, the benefits of quitting, and strategies and skills to cope with urges. The class is conducted primarily in a group setting with face-to-face interaction, allowing participants to learn from each other’s experiences. Built To Quit, smoking and tobacco cessation classes are offered at all three Northside Hospital campuses, and, for your convenience, we also offer web-based sessions.
404-780-7653 (for more information or to register for classes)
Spiritual Health and Education
The Spiritual Health and Education Department at Northside Hospital provides spiritual care that is sensitive to each person’s need to find personal truth and meaning in his or her own experience. Northside provides access to chaplains who are partners in healing with patients, families and staff, responding to spiritual distress, providing access to religious resources, facilitating communication with faith representatives or clergypersons outside of the hospital and responding and providing religious rituals. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at each of Northside’s three hospital campuses.
Cancer support groups are offered by Behavioral Health Services and the Cancer Support Community Atlanta at locations across Georgia including all three Northside Hospital campuses; the Cancer Support Community Atlanta’s main location in Sandy Springs near the Northside Hospital Atlanta campus; and NHCI outpatient clinics.
Support Groups Held on Northside Hospital Campuses
To help support the needs of our cancer patients, survivors and their families, the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute through the Northside Hospital Foundation is able to provide support services, transportation, lodging, medical care, education and fund new cancer research. This is possible through the generosity of donations, community partnerships and various events and fundraisers.
Expand the content below to learn more about annual cancer events and fundraisers.
Cancer Survivor Celebration
The Northside Hospital Foundation hosts an annual event to celebrate our cancer survivors, honor caregivers and remember loved ones who have passed away.
Charity Golf Classic
Annual golf tournament in May on the beautiful Riverside and Highlands courses at the Atlanta Athletic Club. All proceeds benefit the NHCI Blood & Marrow Transplant Program and Cancer Research.
Sarcoma Awareness Sunset Stroll
The Sarcoma Awareness Sunset Stroll is an annual event held in May during which participants enjoy a leisurely sunset stroll through beautiful Blackburn Park to honor sarcoma patients everywhere and to increase community awareness of this disease. Families, friends and neighbors are all invited to participate.
Tennis Against Breast Cancer
With a combined attendance of over 1,200 women across multiple events every October, Tennis Against Breast Cancer (TABC) is an incredible month-long fundraiser for the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Program. This event helps save lives by funding mammograms and other services for under-insured women in our community. Last year, this event helped provide over 1,500 mammograms and 17 breast cancers were detected.
Each TABC event begins with breakfast and tennis drills with pros at local athletic clubs and ends with a luncheon featuring a fashion show, raffles, gifts and more. During the luncheon, one of Northside’s premiere physicians discusses the latest research and treatment for breast cancer. Events are held annually at the Atlanta Athletic Club, as well as at various other clubs in Forsyth and Cherokee counties.
Wine Women & Shoes
Wine Women & Shoes Atlanta is an annual event in September benefitting the NHCI Leukemia and Women’s Cancer Programs. Guests have the opportunity to taste great wine paired with delicious hors d’oeuvres, shop exclusive designer fashions, and enjoy and exciting fashion show.
Looking to stay connected with our network of cancer survivors?
Our quarterly NHCI survivorship newsletter, Your True North, includes tips from cancer specialists, ways to get involved, healthy recipes, and upcoming events you may be interested in.
