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CNI Center for Brain & Spinal Tumors
Outreach & Support
Support Programs
Below are some our support programs available to patients at the CNI Center for Brain & Spinal Tumors. For more information on these programs, please contact Lorre Gibson, Program Coordinator for the CNI Center for Brain & Spinal Tumors, at 303.806.7420 or by e-mail.
Care Coordination
We try to arrange for our patients and families to meet with our social worker prior to any surgical intervention. As care coordinator, our social worker follows Brain & Spinal Tumor patients through the hospital stay, into rehabilitation (if needed) and then into the outpatient setting. Our social worker also helps make certain the treatment team is kept abreast of the progress the patient is making and moving as smoothly as possible through the medical system. They also facilitate our center’s various support groups, is the hospital liaison for the chaplain services, and, with the invaluable support of the program assistant, maintains the Patient and Family Resource Center.
Patient and Family Support Group
The Patient and Family Support Group meets the 1st Wednesday of each month from 5:30pm to 7:00pm in the Spruce A & B Conference Rooms at Swedish Medical Center.
Hole in the Head Gang
The "Hole in the Head Gang" meets occasionally. This social club is exclusively for patients and families of the CNI Center for Brain & Spinal Tumors.
Spiritual Counseling
Our chaplain provides spiritual counseling services, attends all of our team’s conferences and is an integral part of our support services.
Healing Services
The Healing Service combines music and spirituality to offer comfort to those who wish to find spiritual healing. The services are a combined effort of the Swedish Medical Center Chaplaincy and the CNI Center for Brain & Spinal Tumors. Healing Services are held the 1st Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Swedish Medical Center Chapel, located on the 1st floor of the hospital. Reservations are not required.
Annual Reflecting the Light Service
Every spring, the CNI Center for Brain & Spinal Tumors holds a special service on the grounds of Swedish Medical Center to remember those that have died from the disease of CNS cancer, to acknowledge those who continue to struggle daily with deficits brought on by this disease, to thank those who give so much of themselves to make a difference in the lives of individuals touched by this disease, to celebrate the courage and spirit of our survivors, and just to take a few moments to stop, to be together, and to acknowledge and thank each other.
Recreational Events
The support group attendees are planning additional potlucks and "going out for coffee" excursions.
Education Notebooks
Our educational notebooks are funded by grants and are customized for each patient and filled with information pertaining to their tumor type and their treatment plan. This has become a model for all patients at CNI.
Advocacy
The maze of insurance, disability, family medical leave act, medical retirement, etc., can be overwhelming to someone who feels well. To someone who has undergone brain surgery, it simply can be too much. Having a social worker to guide you through this process can ease the burden tremendously. Our program helps patients and families avoid getting "lost in the system" by providing expert guidance at a time when they are vulnerable, scared and overwhelmed.
Therapeutic Massage
Medical research published by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami confirms that massage therapy offers great benefits to cancer patients at nearly every stage of treatment and recovery. University Park Hematology and Dr. Arenson sponsor a massage therapist to work with patients on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Support Organizations
Meningioma Mommas
A Highlands Ranch, Colorado-based nonprofit organization which provides national and international meningioma support with a commitment to raising funds for meningioma-specific research. www.meningiomamommas.org
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