Gilda’s Club Westchester, in partnership with Pink Aid, has launched a breast cancer support services program in Connecticut. The program consists of phone distress screening and bi-lingual English/Spanish counseling. The two components can be accessed remotely by lower Fairfield County-based women who are breast cancer patients or survivors. These services are meant to reduce stress in cancer patients and survivors by improving their ability to cope with the challenges, fears and difficulties that accompany a breast cancer diagnosis and enable them to make more informed decisions.

On the first call with a bilingual clinician, a distress screening will be conducted via telephone. This distress-screening tool helps to identify the goals for counseling support for their individual concerns. The person can then receive free, individual telephone counseling sessions with a bilingual (English/Spanish) mental health professional to help individuals with breast cancer reduce their level of stress, obtain needed information and increase their ability to cope. Top concerns often include the financial cost of cancer treatments, treatment options and decision making, and discussions with family members about their illness. Additionally, materials detailing the services are available at area hospitals and doctors’ offices.

Founded in 2001, Gilda’s Club Westchester offers compassionate support through individual and family counseling, support groups, lectures/workshops and fellowship through social interaction for men, women, teens and children living with cancer and their families and friends.

Pink Aid’s mission is to help underserved local women survive breast cancer treatment with support and dignity, to provide screening to women in financial need and to empower breast cancer survivors to heal by helping and inspiring others.

The number for Gilda’s Club’s bilingual telephone-based counseling services in Connecticut is 203-661-0476.