We offer individual counseling to all our clients and family members, to help guide the mind through emotional turmoil. One-on-one counseling assists in reducing stress and promotes skills that are needed to cope with physical and emotional aspects of the illness. We have licensed mental health counselors available for all. Our outstanding “Caring Connections” program matches patients with other individuals who have gone through similar diagnoses and experiences. Its volunteers are thoroughly trained, and are available for encouragement and guidance. A support group brings together cancer patients to share resources and personal challenges to give each other emotional support. We also offer a caregiver support group for family and friends of our clients, so that they too can have somewhere to turn.
The New York Cancer Center: Leaving No Stone Unturned
Nancy Sutton, founder and president of the New York Cancer Center and Medical Referral Division, has been guiding community members through the medical maze for over 28 years, providing endless support, hope and understanding. It started with referrals and help for patients trying to choose the right doctors, hospitals and treatments. She followed up that work more than a decade ago with the founding of the Cancer Center, a haven that envelops every patient with whatever they might need, before they even know they need it. Compassionate and nurturing, the experience of the team at the Cancer Center is vast and unmatched. Years of invaluable connections helped garner their relationships with both hospitals and medical professionals, leaving the Cancer Center with a data bank that is complete with the names, and often cell numbers of thousands of doctors, and is constantly updated. This knowledge provides a clear path to success for a patient who is probably at the most vulnerable point of their lives.
Renee Zarif, a recipient of that care, explains. “From the point a patient gets diagnosed until the point they find an oncologist, the fear that overtakes is incomprehensible. I was just 30 years old when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma; married nine years. You can just imagine what was going through our minds. There are many medical referral organizations and individuals… but when we got to Nancy, everything changed. The knowledge she has, the doctors on speed-dial, and the personal way in which she shared her thoughts…she was certain, when we were so uncertain. She actually found a way to put us at ease.”
A Hand to Hold
The team at the Cancer Center not only guided the Zarifs, but also sat right by their side at the first appointment. Renee continues, “We were so serious and nervous, and she was just calm. When we walked in, she said, ‘let’s get oatmeal and coffee,’ like it was a breakfast date. I was a wreck, and she brought comfort; making everything more tolerable. We talked with the doctor, and once he said that I was going to lose my hair, I tuned out. I couldn’t even hear the rest of what he was saying. Nancy was there, thank G-d, to ask all the right questions; She is the expert, and that doctor was Gods gift to me.
“The wonderful staff at the NYCC took care of everything, from transferring files from one hospital to another, to finding the right insurance, to getting a wig ready for me, and getting meals cooked for our family, Nancy’s mind is like a computer. She knows which doctor and which hospital is right for which patient. She’s ten steps ahead, and when you can’t think straight, that’s more valuable than you can ever know.”
Ralph Tawil is another fighter, one who is just beginning his journey. When he was first diagnosed, he told his wife Tami that he was having trouble formulating his words. After the CAT scan, the doctor came to their room with a chair in hand. They knew the news could not be good. Tami recalls, “The ER doctor sent us to NYU, where a new doctor recommended surgery within a day or two. I did not say the word ‘petrified’ even once. I couldn’t go there- I just put one foot in front of another. But surgery? Is this the right doctor? I knew I needed the expertise only the NYCC could offer so I called Nancy Sutton. Nancy picked up the phone and said, ‘I’m all yours."
“Once I told her the story, she said, ‘This is brain surgery! We need to research this! Give me some time.’ But when she called me back twenty minutes later, she was sure. This is THE guy. Do it. Afterwards, Nancy and I were talking twice a day at least. This was the right doctor for the surgery, but we needed a course of action going forward. Nancy told me to come in to the NYCC and see dedicated staff member Margie Mathews to collect copies of the scans to send out. I used to volunteer there, so to walk in, and be on the other side as a patient advocate, was surreal. I expected to get the scans and a list of doctors. Instead, Nancy was standing there with a big smile on her face, a hug ready and a muffin in hand. I am good at many things, but doctors- definitely not my forte. The NYCC sent our records all over America, and later on, she would usher us into Duke, in North Carolina. She would have been on the plane with us, if not for COVID. Instead, she joined us via zoom, all of it her joy- like we were doing her a favor, allowing her to help us,”
Joey Shamie explains the magic of the NYCC and the love, concern and expertise that they provided when he needed it most. “When Adrienne and I faced the reality of my diagnosis, the first “911” call we made was to the Cancer Center. She was out of the country on vacation, but of course, that didn’t stop her. She treated me like family- a brother– and gave 100% of herself. She made me feel like I had my own personal advisor and confidant, helping me to think things through to the best solution. Aside from that, she showed me first hand that we all love and care about each other in this community.”
Caring Connections
Rabbi David Ozeri recalls his first experience with the Cancer Center, ten years ago. “I brought in a patient truly traumatized by her diagnosis and Nancy took her by the hand, introduced her to the staff, and calmed her, in a way I never thought possible. I was amazed that something so complicated could be made so simple, and I never looked back. The patient received the best medical guidance and care available throughout her illness and she understood she was not alone; there was a light at the end of that dark tunnel. This is why the Cancer Center is always my first phone call in these situations.”
Nancy works in Brooklyn with her partners Sonia Didia, Debbie Rahmey, and Gerrie Bamira, who heads up the Deal division. Together with so many amazing volunteers, they have learned that healing comes not only from top quality medicine, but from people. From the very first meeting, they are thinking of what the patient needs now, and later on. Is it counseling? A babysitter? A wig? A manicure or massage? Yoga? Meals for their family? Most helpful seems to be a connection that is made early on with other patients who’ve had similar experiences.
When Ralph was invited to a men’s group, and dinner, Tami was surprised he was open to it. “He’s so private,” she explained, “but The Cancer Center managed to make him feel he was a part of something, and that she cared. It made him comfortable. I was also invited to a caregiver’s chat and get-together. Am I the caregiver, I asked myself? It’s an odd feeling to be part of a club I didn’t choose, but it’s comforting; it’s about showing you that somebody wants you to smile. It’s knowing we are in this together.”
Joey Shamie agreed, “We all love and care about each other, and have similar issues. We meet and talk on a regular basis. It’s like they have an aerial view of what’s going on; because of their experience and dedication to the cause, they know how important it is for us to feel good. It’s a fantastic way of being able to heal, and help others to heal.”
When Nancy called Renee and said, “We’re doing a mosaics class, I want you to come,” she scoffed. Renee is a physical therapist, and like Tami, had been on the other side of the equation, working at the Cancer Center helping patients. Nancy begged, and she showed up. “I came, because I wanted to show my appreciation for all the Cancer Center was doing for me and my family. Meanwhile, it ended up being an incredible experience. I didn’t know anyone there, but quickly I became very comfortable. Who else could I talk to about the tricks to get through chemo? I laughed because I knew that she had tailored that class to us, so we would lean on each other. It was a support group, incognito. We understood each other perfectly, and that helped.”
Your First Phone Call
Joey Shamie continues, “Confidentiality is a burden that a cancer patient does not need. I encourage anyone that is going through these issues to open up and share, and accept the warmth and love that is around us. I am blessed with the amazing volunteers at the Cancer Center, my family, friends, and especially my wife Adrienne, who keeps me positive and helps me concentrate on my amazing life. Of course, I wish I never had it, but if I am honest, my experience over the last year has been the most rewarding of my life. Every person, gesture, doctor, nurse and technician has helped steer me towards recovery. From the head of the hospital to the young ladies who take my blood, I cannot thank them enough. Know that everyone is going through it with you. And that everything you put out there in the world, comes right back to you.”
Tami continues, “Ralph said that knowing that I had Nancy to hold my hand, was making his journey easier. Obviously, everyone’s taking care of him; but he was glad to know that someone was tending to me, too. From the beginning Nancy treated us like she had nothing better to do and no one else to worry about, no matter how busy she was. At a time when you’re so vulnerable, it feels good to have someone in your corner who is so experienced and knowledgeable. She continuously makes us feel like she is fully in charge of our care. It’s hard, but she makes it all a little easier.”
Dr. Herbert Pardes, vice chairman of NY Presbyterian Hospital explained, “On the one hand you can give surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. But if you pay full attention to the emotional and psychological needs of the individual like they do at the Cancer Center, you can expect better overall results. It is all interconnected.” The New York Cancer and Referral Center helps their patients with anything and everything imaginable, going above and beyond, over and over again. Leaving no stone unturned, they are one of a kind; Their goal is to get their patients well, and they are very, very good at it.
For more information about the Cancer Center and medical referrals, call (718) 787-1800.
Nancy Sutton, founder and president of the New York Cancer Center and Medical Referral Division, has been guiding community members through the medical maze for over 28 years, providing endless support, hope and understanding. It started with referrals and help for patients trying to choose the right doctors, hospitals and treatments. She followed up that work more than a decade ago with the founding of the Cancer Center, a haven that envelops every patient with whatever they might need, before they even know they need it. Compassionate and nurturing, the experience of the team at the Cancer Center is vast and unmatched. Years of invaluable connections helped garner their relationships with both hospitals and medical professionals, leaving the Cancer Center with a data bank that is complete with the names, and often cell numbers of thousands of doctors, and is constantly updated. This knowledge provides a clear path to success for a patient who is probably at the most vulnerable point of their lives.
Renee Zarif, a recipient of that care, explains. “From the point a patient gets diagnosed until the point they find an oncologist, the fear that overtakes is incomprehensible. I was just 30 years old when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma; married nine years. You can just imagine what was going through our minds. There are many medical referral organizations and individuals… but when we got to Nancy, everything changed. The knowledge she has, the doctors on speed-dial, and the personal way in which she shared her thoughts…she was certain, when we were so uncertain. She actually found a way to put us at ease.”
A Hand to Hold
The team at the Cancer Center not only guided the Zarifs, but also sat right by their side at the first appointment. Renee continues, “We were so serious and nervous, and she was just calm. When we walked in, she said, ‘let’s get oatmeal and coffee,’ like it was a breakfast date. I was a wreck, and she brought comfort; making everything more tolerable. We talked with the doctor, and once he said that I was going to lose my hair, I tuned out. I couldn’t even hear the rest of what he was saying. Nancy was there, thank G-d, to ask all the right questions; She is the expert, and that doctor was Gods gift to me.
“The wonderful staff at the NYCC took care of everything, from transferring files from one hospital to another, to finding the right insurance, to getting a wig ready for me, and getting meals cooked for our family, Nancy’s mind is like a computer. She knows which doctor and which hospital is right for which patient. She’s ten steps ahead, and when you can’t think straight, that’s more valuable than you can ever know.”
Ralph Tawil is another fighter, one who is just beginning his journey. When he was first diagnosed, he told his wife Tami that he was having trouble formulating his words. After the CAT scan, the doctor came to their room with a chair in hand. They knew the news could not be good. Tami recalls, “The ER doctor sent us to NYU, where a new doctor recommended surgery within a day or two. I did not say the word ‘petrified’ even once. I couldn’t go there- I just put one foot in front of another. But surgery? Is this the right doctor? I knew I needed the expertise only the NYCC could offer so I called Nancy Sutton. Nancy picked up the phone and said, ‘I’m all yours."
“Once I told her the story, she said, ‘This is brain surgery! We need to research this! Give me some time.’ But when she called me back twenty minutes later, she was sure. This is THE guy. Do it. Afterwards, Nancy and I were talking twice a day at least. This was the right doctor for the surgery, but we needed a course of action going forward. Nancy told me to come in to the NYCC and see dedicated staff member Margie Mathews to collect copies of the scans to send out. I used to volunteer there, so to walk in, and be on the other side as a patient advocate, was surreal. I expected to get the scans and a list of doctors. Instead, Nancy was standing there with a big smile on her face, a hug ready and a muffin in hand. I am good at many things, but doctors- definitely not my forte. The NYCC sent our records all over America, and later on, she would usher us into Duke, in North Carolina. She would have been on the plane with us, if not for COVID. Instead, she joined us via zoom, all of it her joy- like we were doing her a favor, allowing her to help us,”
Joey Shamie explains the magic of the NYCC and the love, concern and expertise that they provided when he needed it most. “When Adrienne and I faced the reality of my diagnosis, the first “911” call we made was to the Cancer Center. She was out of the country on vacation, but of course, that didn’t stop her. She treated me like family- a brother– and gave 100% of herself. She made me feel like I had my own personal advisor and confidant, helping me to think things through to the best solution. Aside from that, she showed me first hand that we all love and care about each other in this community.”
Caring Connections
Rabbi David Ozeri recalls his first experience with the Cancer Center, ten years ago. “I brought in a patient truly traumatized by her diagnosis and Nancy took her by the hand, introduced her to the staff, and calmed her, in a way I never thought possible. I was amazed that something so complicated could be made so simple, and I never looked back. The patient received the best medical guidance and care available throughout her illness and she understood she was not alone; there was a light at the end of that dark tunnel. This is why the Cancer Center is always my first phone call in these situations.”
Nancy works in Brooklyn with her partners Sonia Didia, Debbie Rahmey, and Gerrie Bamira, who heads up the Deal division. Together with so many amazing volunteers, they have learned that healing comes not only from top quality medicine, but from people. From the very first meeting, they are thinking of what the patient needs now, and later on. Is it counseling? A babysitter? A wig? A manicure or massage? Yoga? Meals for their family? Most helpful seems to be a connection that is made early on with other patients who’ve had similar experiences.
When Ralph was invited to a men’s group, and dinner, Tami was surprised he was open to it. “He’s so private,” she explained, “but The Cancer Center managed to make him feel he was a part of something, and that she cared. It made him comfortable. I was also invited to a caregiver’s chat and get-together. Am I the caregiver, I asked myself? It’s an odd feeling to be part of a club I didn’t choose, but it’s comforting; it’s about showing you that somebody wants you to smile. It’s knowing we are in this together.”
Joey Shamie agreed, “We all love and care about each other, and have similar issues. We meet and talk on a regular basis. It’s like they have an aerial view of what’s going on; because of their experience and dedication to the cause, they know how important it is for us to feel good. It’s a fantastic way of being able to heal, and help others to heal.”
When Nancy called Renee and said, “We’re doing a mosaics class, I want you to come,” she scoffed. Renee is a physical therapist, and like Tami, had been on the other side of the equation, working at the Cancer Center helping patients. Nancy begged, and she showed up. “I came, because I wanted to show my appreciation for all the Cancer Center was doing for me and my family. Meanwhile, it ended up being an incredible experience. I didn’t know anyone there, but quickly I became very comfortable. Who else could I talk to about the tricks to get through chemo? I laughed because I knew that she had tailored that class to us, so we would lean on each other. It was a support group, incognito. We understood each other perfectly, and that helped.”
Your First Phone Call
Joey Shamie continues, “Confidentiality is a burden that a cancer patient does not need. I encourage anyone that is going through these issues to open up and share, and accept the warmth and love that is around us. I am blessed with the amazing volunteers at the Cancer Center, my family, friends, and especially my wife Adrienne, who keeps me positive and helps me concentrate on my amazing life. Of course, I wish I never had it, but if I am honest, my experience over the last year has been the most rewarding of my life. Every person, gesture, doctor, nurse and technician has helped steer me towards recovery. From the head of the hospital to the young ladies who take my blood, I cannot thank them enough. Know that everyone is going through it with you. And that everything you put out there in the world, comes right back to you.”
Tami continues, “Ralph said that knowing that I had Nancy to hold my hand, was making his journey easier. Obviously, everyone’s taking care of him; but he was glad to know that someone was tending to me, too. From the beginning Nancy treated us like she had nothing better to do and no one else to worry about, no matter how busy she was. At a time when you’re so vulnerable, it feels good to have someone in your corner who is so experienced and knowledgeable. She continuously makes us feel like she is fully in charge of our care. It’s hard, but she makes it all a little easier.”
Dr. Herbert Pardes, vice chairman of NY Presbyterian Hospital explained, “On the one hand you can give surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. But if you pay full attention to the emotional and psychological needs of the individual like they do at the Cancer Center, you can expect better overall results. It is all interconnected.” The New York Cancer and Referral Center helps their patients with anything and everything imaginable, going above and beyond, over and over again. Leaving no stone unturned, they are one of a kind; Their goal is to get their patients well, and they are very, very good at it.
For more information about the Cancer Center and medical referrals, call (718) 787-1800.