Coronavirus Update: Adelphi Breast Cancer Support Groups, Hotline & Educational Workshops Still Being Offered

News from the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Program
March 11, 2020
Contact: Lyn Dobrin, 516-997-8545

Coronavirus Update: Adelphi Breast Cancer Support Groups, Hotline & Educational Workshops Still Being Offered

The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, located at Adelphi University in Garden City, is taking precautions while continuing to provide services to clients during the coronavirus epidemic.  The University is closely monitoring news and receiving expert guidance related to the coronavirus (“COVID-19”).  “This is a rapidly changing situation,” says executive director Reyna Machado, “we will respond accordingly and communicate our plans to you.”  Adelphi University continues to have no known cases of coronavirus. While the University has cancelled classes for the remainder of the week administrative offices are OPEN.

Social workers are still meeting clients in-person at our office and at Nassau University Medical Center. Counseling is also being offered via phone and over video conferencing. On-line chat is available. Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the health of clients currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, for the month of March, all English language support groups will be held online using Zoom. Also, for the month of March, our Cafecito, Spanish-language support group members, will receive individual counseling via telephone instead of in-person.

Community outreach events are being rescheduled where there are large gatherings of people in a major venue. We are still conducting health workshops within Nassau County and utilizing universal safety precautions in order to limit the exposure of germs. Community members are still being referred to the Cancer Services Program for free or low-cost mammography screening.

“And, of course, our hotline, which is a phone service is still available every day in English and Spanish,” says Machado. The hotline can be reached at 800-877-8077 and callers initially speak with a volunteer who is also a breast cancer survivor. If callers would like additional support they can be transferred to a licensed social worker.

Our forum on Sleep to be held on March 17^th will now be a webinar and not an in-person event.

Visit our website and social media accounts for additional program updates https://breast-cancer.adelphi.edu/.

“Please remember that you are not alone and we can still be reached every day,” says Machado.