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Grief and Loss: Home

People cope with the loss of a loved one in different ways. There are many things that can affect the grief process of someone who has lost a loved one to cancer such as:

  • The personality of the person who is grieving.
  • The relationship with the person who died.
  • The loved one's cancer experience and the way the disease progressed.
  • The grieving person’s coping skills and mental health history.
  • The amount of support the grieving person has.
  • The grieving person’s cultural and religious background.
  • The grieving person’s social and financial position.

Grief is the normal process of reacting to the loss. Mourning is the way we show grief in public. The way people mourn is affected by beliefs, religious practices, and cultural customs. 

Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Oncology Social Workers are available to help family members and caregivers who are coping with the loss of a loved one. Several community resources are available as well. Please see the resources listed below for more information.

Source: National Cancer Institute - Grief, Bereavement, and Coping With Loss

Helpful Websites

Oncology Social Work Services and Counseling

Cancer can involve significant psychological, social, and economic challenges for patients and their families. How and if these challenges are addressed is an important aspect of a patient’s care plan. The Ridley-Tree Cancer Center employs clinical social workers who provide emotional and practical support for patients, their families, and their friends. Oncology Social Workers can provide advocacy and referrals as well as individual and family counseling services.

Services are available at no cost and are available to anyone in our community, regardless of where they are receiving medical care. 

For more information, call (805) 879-5690.  

Video

Cancer Support Community Los Angeles - Dealing with Grief and Loss. 59:40 minutes

Between cancer and COVID, we have been surrounded by grief more than ever. Rachel Price and Jennifer Christensen, Clinical Social Workers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center discuss grief and how to build resiliency and cope with that grief. 

Materials at the Resource Library

These are just a few highlights from the Resource Library collection. Please click here to search our online catalog. For more information about the Resource Library and how to borrow materials, visit our website. 

Resources provided by the Cancer Resource Library are for informational purposes only. The information in these materials may or may not apply to your specific condition, and should not be construed as medical advice. We strongly encourage you to consult your healthcare provider to review anything you learn through these resources.

Ridley-Tree Cancer Center provides comprehensive cancer treatment and support programs for patients and families. We are recognized for medical excellence, a strong clinical research program, and a multidisciplinary approach to cancer prevention.

Cancer Resource Library | 540 West Pueblo Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 | (805) 563-5807 | library@ridleytreecc.org | www.ridleytreecc.org