Our Mission

It is the mission of Wellness Place to provide education, support and understanding at no charge to those affected by cancer.

Wellness Place is a charitable 501(c)3 organization. All programs and services are 100% gift funded and able to be offered at no charge through generous donations, grants, and fundraising event proceeds.

Our Vision

It is our vision to be a recognized regional leader in cancer education and support, providing comprehensive services that are individualized, complimentary to medical treatment and offered at no charge to each participant.

2008 Annual Report
Click here to add your name to our mailing list

Our Organization

Wellness Place was founded over a decade ago by two Barrington area women as they recovered from breast cancer treatment. Linda Murphy and Myrna Porter envisioned a community-based, non-medical support center in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago where people living with cancer could gather for counseling, education, encouragement and empowerment – at no fee

Since then Wellness Place has become a key community asset serving those diagnosed with cancer, as well as their family and caregivers. Professionals with oncology training provide counseling and support to help manage emotional and physical responses to cancer, sort through treatment options and side effects, formulate questions for doctors, and better communicate matters to family members, healthcare professionals and employers.

All programs and services are 100% gift funded and able to be offered without charge through donations and grants from individuals, foundations and businesses in the community. An annual giving campaign, major fund-raising events, community grants, and donations of services and goods also support the center and further the mission of Wellness Place. Cancer survivors, healthcare professionals, counseling and oncology information specialists, volunteers, and staff—work together—providing vital support to the cancer community.

Wellness Place is a charter member of the Cancer Health Alliance of Metropolitan Chicago, a consortium of independent cancer education and support centers offering programs and services at no charge, to those affected by cancer www.cancerhealthalliance.com.

The Importance of Psychosocial Support with a Cancer Diagnosis :

In 2007 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released Cancer Care for the Whole Patient, a report sponsored by the National Institute of Health (NIH) emphasizing the importance of treating psychosocial (emotional and social) needs of those experiencing cancer. The report concluded that supportive services such as those offered at Wellness Place “reduce patients’ suffering, help them adhere to prescribed treatments, and support their return to health.” The IOM report has shown that “1 out of 3 cancer patients/survivors exhibited significant psychological distress in response to their illness…high distress patients were 15 times more likely to be re-hospitalized.” The IOM report concludes that “attending to psychosocial needs should be an integral part of quality cancer care.” www.iom.edu

I don’t know about you, but I have a serious case of cabin fever. I know the calendar says Spring is here, but I’m not sure Mother Nature got the memo. If you’re like me and anxious to put winter behind you, pencil in our 4th Annual Wellness Place Community Cancer Walk & Run coming up on Sunday, May 19! It’s a day filled with friends, fun, awareness, exercise and celebration.

We are thrilled to once again partner with The Arboretum of South Barrington for this family-friendly event and hope you will consider joining us for a heartwarming day of celebrating cancer survivors and remembering loved ones. The website is open, visit www.wellnessplace.org, start a team, or join mine…team “Go the Distance” and be a part of helping us meet our $85,000 goal! Proceeds raised from this event are critical to our overall fundraising efforts and allow us to continue providing vital cancer support and education free of charge, to the growing population of people in our area who are affected by cancer. More importantly,100% of all funds raised stay right here in our community serving your families, friends, co-workers and neighbors.

Our calendar this quarter is chock-full of great programs and speakers. Our year long series Eat, Breathe, Move continues with Spotlight Workshops such as Tis the Season: Learning How to Incorporate Seasonal Eats into Delicious Treats; Don’t Try Hard, Try Different: 7 Easy Steps to Manage Stress; or Putting Action into Your Action Plan: Fighting Illness with Movement.

Just in time for summer, here’s one every one of us should attend: Learning your ABCs All Over Again: Taking Steps to Prevent Skin Cancer. These are just a few of the programs you won’t want to miss. Check out the fulllistings and call and reserve your spot today! 

 Warmest Regards,

Pam