Family Support Groups - Northern California

Local LLS Support Groups

North Bay

  • Greenbrae 
    Marin Family Support Group
    Second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm  Schedule is subject to change.  Please contact the group’s facilitator.
    Fran Haghighi, RN, (415) 925-7922
    Dina Griffith

San Francisco

  • UCSF Medical Center
    San Francisco Family Support Group
    Second Tuesday of every month at 3 pm - 4:30 pm Schedule is subject to change.  Please contact the group’s facilitator.
    Nina Balsamo, MSS, LCSW, (415) 353-2965
    Isaura Figueroa, MSW

Palo Alto

  • Stanford Family Support Group
    Second Tuesday of every month, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm  Schedule is subject to change. Please contact the group’s facilitator.
    Lisa Orr LOrr@stanfordhealthcare.org
     
  • Stanford Pediatric Cancer Caregivers Support Group - This support group meets virtually. 
    Login information will be provided to participants after registering.
    Third Tuesday of every month, 6:15 pm - 7:30 pm
    Facilitators:
       Merian Van Eijk, RN, MSN, CPHON, Caritas Coach
       Sarah Simmons, RN, BSN
     
  • MDS Group in Palo Alto - This support group is now meeting virtually. Login information will be provided to participants after registering.
    First Wednesday of every month, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm (no meetings July or December)
    Lenn Fechter, RN, (650) 725-0744
    Andrea Linder, RN

Central Coast

Santa Cruz

  • Santa Cruz Family Support Group - This group meets in person*.
    First and Third Tuesday of every month at 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Schedule is subject to change. Please contact the group’s facilitator.
    Katz Cancer Resource Center
    3150 Mission Dr., 1st Floor
    Santa Cruz 95065
    (831) 462-7770 
    Allison Brookes, MSW allison.brookes@dignityhealth.org
     
  • Santa Cruz Caregivers - This group meets in person*.
    Second Tuesday of every month at 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Schedule is subject to change. Please contact the group’s facilitator.
    Katz Cancer Resource Center
    3150 Mission Dr., 1st Floor
    Santa Cruz 95065
    (831) 462-7770 
    Allison Brookes, MSW allison.brookes@dignityhealth.org

Children & Parents

  • San Jose Spanish-Speaking Parents - This support group meets in person*. 
    Fourth Monday of every month at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    La Trinidad, United Methodist Church
    370 S. King Road
    San Jose, CA 95116
    Rich Ramos, RN, (408) 314-8394
    Jennifer Romero, RN, MSN, PH


To attend a group listed above, please register at the events calendar https://www.lls.org/nocal.

*It is highly recommended that all blood cancer patients or other immunocompromised individuals check with their healthcare provider before attending this event. Research conducted by LLS and others has shown that some blood cancer patients do not get optimal protection from COVID-19 vaccination and may continue to have heightened susceptibility to contracting and becoming ill from COVID-19. While at the event, we urge our community to respect anyone’s choice to continue to take precautions like masking or social distancing.


Local LLS & Cancer Support Community Partnership Support Group