Support Groups

When confronted by a serious medical condition, patients and their families deal with a whirlwind of information and emotions as they struggle to make decisions. Support groups available at LSU Health Shreveport counsel patients as they cope with illness, chronic conditions or injury. Support groups teach patients about the latest treatment for their condition and offer tips to improve quality of life as they navigate treatment. Participants in support groups bond and form long-term friendships as they get to know others who face similar circumstances.

Feist-Weiller Cancer Center Support Groups
Feist-Weiller Cancer Center offers a variety of patient support groups facilitated by committed professionals.

Cancer Support Groups
For patients who want to learn how to manage the stress that comes from having a major medical illness and to gain strength from others who share the same struggle, there are two weekly support groups for LSU Health Shreveport patients with all types of cancer. These groups (one on Wednesday, one on Friday) are led by a Certified Group Psychotherapist and a registered nurse. For more information about these groups contact Ron Nierman, MA, LPC, CGP 318.470.6180 or Jo Ann Stewart, RN 318.813.1409.

Sickle Cell Support Group
A weekly sickle cell support group for LSU patients meets every Monday from 12 to 1:30 p.m. For more information about this group contact Ron Nierman, MA, LPC, CGP at 318.470.6180, or Lydia Roberson, RN, OCN or Jackie Walton, RN, BSN, OCN at 318.813.1234.

Support for Blood and Marrow Cancers 

An inpatient oncology social worker, Catherine Credeur, LMSW, OSW-C,318.675.7090 leads six-week phone support groups for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. These support groups rotate to cover different types of blood and marrow cancers. For more information, contact the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 1.888.290.0945.

Laryngectomy Support Group
Feist-Weiller Cancer Center sponsors a laryngectomy support group that meets every two months. The focus is to provide patient and family support by allowing patients to network with other patients, get updates on new technology, problem solving and information sharing.For more information contact Matt Morgan, MEd, CCC-SLP 318.813.2701 or Kelly Babcock, MS, CCC-SLP 318.813.1328.

Tobacco Cessation
Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, as part of LSU Health Shreveport, has partnered with the LSUHSC School of Public Health and the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living (TFL) to provide tobacco cessation services to LSUHSC-S patients, hospital employees, and local communities. Cessation services are facilitated by the Tobacco Control Initiative, which provides evidence-based interventions that are cost effective, appropriate, and acceptable to patients. Contact Jennifer Green 318.813.2231.

Spiritual Support
LSU Health Shreveport has a Chaplain service that ministers to the spiritual needs of patients and their families. Chapel services are held Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in the University Hospital Chapel, located on the first floor of K-wing behind the Admitting Office. Patients should check with their nurse before leavingtheir room to attend the service. Contact: 5-5534 to reach a Chaplain in-house, or 318.675.5534 if you are off campus.

Other support groups in the Shreveport area:

Multiple Myeloma Support Group 318.518.2693
Multiple Myeloma patients are directed to a community support group. This group meets the secondWednesday every month from 2 to 4 p.m. This outreach program of theInternational Myeloma Foundationprovides myeloma patients, care partners and family members/friends with education, support and understanding of the disease. Contact 318.518.2693 or cfpett@gmail.com for information.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Northwest Louisiana 318.220.7050
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® promise: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has played a critical role in every major advance in the fight against breast cancer over the past 25 years - transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease, and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. Email Shreveport Affiliate: info@komennwla.orgor call 318.220.7050.

American Cancer Society 318.227.8901
Feist-Weiller Cancer Center (FWCC) treats patients who reside throughout the state of Louisiana. FWCC networks with many community hospitals and organizationsto help our patients and caregivers find a local support connection.If you do not live close enough to FWCC to participate regularly in one of our support groups, we recommend you contact the American Cancer Society 1.800.227.2345 or www.cancer.org to find a support group near you.

ThinkFirst of the Ark-La-Tex 318.226.0066
Support for patients with severe brain and spinal cord injuries.

New Horizons Independent Living Center 318.671.8131
Enabling people with disabilities to live independently through four core independent living services, assistive technology services, transportation services, mental health counseling services, an attendant training program and attendant services to people with disabilities in the 29 parishes of north Louisiana. Contact: Scott Wells Independent Living Specialist 318.671.8131.

Parkinson’s Disease Support Group
An open Parkinson’s Disease Support Group meets on the second Friday of each month. The focus is education and support related to Parkinson’s disease. This meeting is open to patients, their families, and all interested persons in the community. Meetings are held most months at Willis-Knighton Steen Hall Auditorium located at 2611 Greenwood Road in Shreveport at 1:00pm. For more information, please call Paula Houston, Coordinator for the Parkinson’s Resource, at 318.675.6142.

Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver Support Group
A Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver Support Group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The focus is education and support for caregivers who care for those with Parkinson’s only. Meetings are held at Kingsley Place, 7110 University Drive in Shreveport at 1:00pm. For more information, please call Pat Hudnall at 318.549.9744 or Dot Bayne at 318.686.4476.