The following is a summary of available patient service programs that are free to patients and their families. For more information, please call Bethanie Mills,  patient services manager, at (559) 435-1482 or email at bethanie.mills@lls.org .

Family Support Groups
Free Family Support Groups help serve the needs of patients, family members and friends who are learning to live with blood cancer. The groups offer a warm and caring atmosphere in which participants come together to identify and share concerns, problems and positive experiences with the group. Group members are motivated to help themselves and each other to cope with their life-threatening illness. The group is facilitated by experienced healthcare professionals who volunteer their time.

Multiple Myeloma Support Group is held every third Tuesday of every month at the Cancer Center at St. Agnes 7130 N. Millbrook Fresno, Ca.  The meetings begin at 2:30 - 4:00 pm. NOT MEETING IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST.  Join in September when we resume our monthly meetings.

First Connection Program
First Connection connects a newly diagnosed patient with a trained peer volunteer who has experienced a similar situation. Trained volunteer survivors offer support and information to individuals or patients' family members learning to cope with leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma.

Patient Financial Aid Program
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Patient Financial Aid Program offers up to $150.00 per year to help patients offset expenses.  Receipts for expenses are no longer required.   To apply, the patient must be a U.S. resident and be in active treatment or ongoing medical follow-up for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma or myelodysplastic syndromes or another blood cancer.  The patients' physician must complete and sign the bottom portion of the application form.  The patient must return the completed application to their local chapter.   

The patient Financial Aid program begins each July 1 and ends each June 30.  Patients must reapply every year (after June 30^th).  As always, reimbursement is based on patient financial aid fund availability. 

Patient Education                                                                                     A number of patient education programs including: Improving the Chemotherapy Experience; Cancer Clinical Trials; non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; The Changing Landscape; New Directions in Myeloma Therpy are offered free of charge to help bring treatment options into clearer focus and to strengthen decision-making and coping skills for patients and their families. Please refer to the chapter calendar for scheduled educational programs.

The Trish Greene Back to School Program for Children with Cancer
Our school reentry program helps young survivors adjust to life after treatment, and teaches families, classmates, teachers and healthcare professionals how to deal with the issues surrounding childhood cancer. Program videos and materials are available for preschool and elementary, middle and high school students.

Advocacy
The Society advocates public policy positions that accelerate progress towards cures for leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma. The aim of the program is to improve the quality of life of those with blood cancers, their friends and families. Critical elements of this effort include ensuring patients access to high-quality healthcare and creating a positive climate for research on the diseases.

To advance its policy goals, the Society encourages its volunteers, friends and other supporters to contact their elected representatives - in Congress and in state legislatures - to share with them the impact that leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma have on thousands of American and to urge responsible policies that will address the serious burden of these diseases.