The Cancer Support Community North Texas will shrink its footprint across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. NBC 5’s Bianca Castro has the details.
Big changes are coming to a cancer support group that affects thousands of North Texans.
Budget cuts are forcing Cancer Support Community North Texas to shut down its clubhouses in Tarrant County and in Collin County by the end of this year.
For 20 years, CSCNT has offered cancer patients a place to go for social and emotional support and last year alone, recorded 64,000 visits to its three locations.
Leaders say they will pivot to online options for patients outside of Dallas while looking for other funding options.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
"In addition to being able to offer our services in-person from our Dallas location, we'll be ramping up our virtual services and then looking for other opportunities to connect with folks who maybe have some space where we can figure out how do we then deliver our services in different areas, and hopefully, we'll even be able to expand the impact of the work that we do," said CSCNT CEO Mirchelle Louis.
Texas Health Resources, one of the organization's major funders, said it notified the group two years ago that they'd be reducing their monetary support as of January 1, 2025.
They said in a statement to NBC 5:
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“Texas Health remains committed to caring for cancer patients and their families. We recognize the value of the support provided by Cancer Support Community North Texas and we have fully honored our agreement with them. Texas Health will continue to fund the organization’s operations through the end of the year and hope this advance notice allows them to plan accordingly. Over the last two years we have transparently discussed the reduction of monetary support with the Cancer Support Community leadership, and it is not indicative of our support for the organization or the families they serve. We continue to provide patients and their families with a variety of support, navigation, and educational opportunities to help them throughout their treatment.”
CSCNT said that it relies heavily on THR funding and many other community supporters to operate its three clubhouses in Dallas, Tarrant and Collin Counties, pay portions of its rent and to cover staff, and program costs.
“We acknowledge and are grateful for THR’s generous support in helping us meet the critical cancer support needs of patients in our community, unfortunately, the speed and magnitude of the funding cuts have put us in a very difficult position,” said CSCNT Board Chair and Long-Time Supporter Dave Ashworth, in a CSCNT press release.
To reduce costs and because the Tarrant and Collin County clubhouse locations are paid for by THR, CSCNT will close both physical locations by the end of 2024, with a large reduction in services mid-summer, Tarrant County starting on July 1 and Collin County on August 1.
CSCNT aims to maintain some in-person support group presence in these service areas and to continue with virtual support service options.
CSCNT will keep one physical clubhouse location open in Dallas County; however, it may no longer be housed within the THR Cancer Center to reduce costs.
Louis said CSCNT is actively searching for a Dallas County location that will donate or provide space at a reduced cost beginning in 2025.
The cancer support organization hopes for a big boost from its annual gala in November.
