Interested in supporting someone by phone? Consider being a Phone Buddy Volunteer with LCA!

LCA has had a very active Phone Buddy program for about 15 years. Through the Phone Buddy program, we match people who are going through lung cancer with a person who has "been there, done that," someone who had had a similar experience and can provide support. We match based on the type of lung cancer, stage, treatments, and sometimes other requests such as age, married, living alone, with kids at home...whatever the specific need. Phone Buddies are available to talk to the person, share the experience, and support them as they are going through treatment and sometimes beyond. We also match caregivers with others who have been a caregiver to someone with lung cancer. It's a popular program, especially for people who can't get to an in-person support group or who don't feel comfortable with or have access to computers. LCA provides the resources and training to become a Phone Buddy volunteer, as well as ongoing support. It doesn't take a lot of time and we will work with you to meet your needs along the way!

Think you might be interested in being a Phone Buddy? We want to hear from you! While we are interested in talking to anyone who wants to be a Phone Buddy volunteer, given current requests that we are getting, we have a few specific needs that we are trying to fill:

• Extensive stage SCLC
• Stage IV NSCLC
• Survivors on maintenance treatments (Tarceva, Alimta, Avastin, Taxotere, for example)
• Caregivers whose loved one was diagnosed with early stage lung cancer

We have some really great volunteers who fall into these categories already (some of whom are members of LungLoveLink too), but we are trying not to overburden them! And even if you don't fall into these groups, if you are interested, we want to hear from you.

If you are interested in learning more, please email acopeland@lungcanceralliance.org and Amy will send you information about the program.  And if you are in a support group or know others who might be interested, please have them contact us! It's a great way to provide support for others. You may find that you will get support back too! 

From by Amy, TeamLCA