Monthly Staff Feature: Communications
CancerCare’s monthly staff feature recognizes the vital contributions of the many client-facing and behind-the-scenes teams that make our free programs and services possible.
This month, we’re highlighting our Communications team, which plays an important role in shaping CancerCare’s internal and external messaging. This includes building on partnerships and alliances with other organizations and companies to increase CancerCare’s brand awareness, promoting the organization’s services, programs and events, managing website updates, coordinating staff and client stories for the website, news features and social media, as well as designing and developing marketing materials, fact sheets, publications and more.
Name: Catherine F.
Title: Communications Manager
Team: Communications
Time with CancerCare: 5 months
What do you do at CancerCare?
So much of the Communications department involves collaborating with each other and across departments, which I love – no day is exactly the same. I help to support CancerCare's messaging, including drafting blog posts, developing public relations strategies and creating marketing copy. Everyone on our team plays such an important role in promoting our services. It’s truly a team effort across our department.
Can you share an important memory about CancerCare?
I recently attended the Young Professional Committee’s fundraising event last month. It was my first in-person CancerCare event and it was great not only to meet more of my colleagues, but also to hear directly from the volunteers, YPC members and scholarship recipients who have been affected by cancer and how CancerCare has supported them. Everyone has a unique story to tell and hearing from the people our organization supports is a powerful reminder of the importance of CancerCare’s work.
How has working at CancerCare affected or changed you?
I take a lot of inspiration from my colleagues who lead with compassion. Working at CancerCare has reminded me to try to approach every situation with empathy. Hearing from our clients and social work team has also helped me to consider how I can be more proactive in supporting friends and family members who may be going through difficult periods in their lives.
Besides CancerCare, what is another nonprofit that you’d like to highlight and why?
During my time working for the New York City Bar Association, I worked with one of its affiliated nonprofits, the City Bar Justice Center. Similar to CancerCare, the Justice Center works with underserved communities to provide free assistance to those who qualify. Their programs provide legal advice, advocacy and representation through several projects, including their Cancer Advocacy Project, as well as their LGBTQ Advocacy Project, Legal Clinic for the Homeless, Immigrant Justice Project and more. Finding and affording legal support can feel daunting or out of reach for many people and I think we need more organizations like CancerCare and the Justice Center to help address the barriers to accessing lifechanging services.