Photo Essay: Support Services at Cleveland Clinic

Thanks to generous donor support, Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute is able to offer support services to help patients and their care partners throughout their cancer journey. The Taussig Cancer Center is designed for easy access to an array of patient support services intended to reduce the psychological stress of cancer.

There’s a growing body of evidence demonstrating the positive benefits of supportive therapies such as:

• Body work, including massage and reflexology
• Art and music therapy
• Yoga and meditation
• Counseling/mentoring
• Aesthetic support such as wigs and caps
• Health education and support

These philanthropically-supported services are provided free to patients and their care partners. “Support services are part of our dual mission of treating the disease and caring for each person as a whole, especially as it pertains to their overall quality of life while they’re undergoing cancer treatment,” says Laura Shoemaker, DO, Chair of Palliative and Supportive Care at Cleveland Clinic and Chair of the Ohio Department of Health’s Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Council.

These services provide comfort to patients and their care partners, offering a respite from cancer-directed therapies. Patients and their care partners can visit the on-site art studio and wellness center to access most services, or patients can request that a therapist bring services to them during their infusion. A few services such as mentoring and reiki are also available virtually.

Patients can visit the Resource Center on the first floor at the main campus in Cleveland to learn more about these services.