Press Release
2023-07-31
CancerCare® Enhances Accessibility for the Cancer Community with Closed Captioning in its Connect Education Workshops
CancerCare®, the leading national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer, is proud to announce a significant step towards inclusivity and accessibility through its new closed captioning services for its recorded Connect® Education Workshops.
Led by experts in oncology, these free, one-hour educational workshops provide up-to-date information offered over the phone and online. Once the workshops have passed, the recordings with closed captioning are added to CancerCare’s website and are free for anyone to download or stream. Recent workshop topics have covered treatment updates, diagnostic technologies and biomarkers, health care disparities, clinical trials and coping with cancer as a caregiver.
“We are deeply committed to ensuring that no one affected by cancer is left behind,” said Dr. Carolyn Messner, DSW, BCD, FAPOS, FAOSW, LCSW-R, CancerCare’s Senior Director of Education and Training. “That includes individuals with hearing impairments. By introducing closed captioning into our CancerCare Connect® Education Workshops, we are removing barriers and making our valuable resources accessible to an even wider audience.”
“There is no way I could have ever understood those medical terms and clinical trials without captioning. Now I can look them up online and discuss with my oncologist. The captioning is beyond helpful. It can be lifesaving, as far as I'm concerned. I can find no fault and only benefit to adding captioning to the video replay. It should help many, many patients listening in (hearing impaired or not).” - Workshop Participant
CancerCare encourages members of the cancer community, including patients, survivors, caregivers and health care professionals, to take advantage of this new feature and experience the Connect Education Workshops in a more inclusive manner. By embracing closed captioning, CancerCare strives to create an environment where everyone feels supported, empowered and equipped with the knowledge necessary to navigate their cancer journey.
For more information about CancerCare’s past and upcoming Connect Education Workshops and other publications and resources, please visit www.cancercare.org/connect.
About CancerCare®
Founded in 1944, CancerCare is the leading national organization providing free, professional support services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical and financial challenges of cancer. Our comprehensive services include resource navigation, counseling and support groups over the phone, online and in-person, educational workshops, publications and financial and co-payment assistance. All CancerCare services are provided by master’s-prepared oncology social workers and world-leading cancer experts. To learn more, visit our website or call 800-813-HOPE (4673).