December 2021 marked the one-year anniversary of the start of our Online Women’s Support Group. In the time that has passed, the group has become a valuable way for women to connect, share, support, and learn from each other. The women whose husbands or partners are journeying with prostate cancer gather monthly to talk about topics that matter to them, especially issues of intimacy, interpersonal communication, and mental and psychological coping and wellbeing.

The group is moderated by Karen Shaffer, an energetic and empathetic Special Education teacher from New Jersey. Karen’s own husband battled prostate cancer for ten years before he died from the disease several years ago. Drawing on her experiences to support women in the prostate cancer community is just a part of how Karen honors the legacy of her husband.

We appreciate that it can be a challenge for women to budget the time to attend our group discussions. We invite you to let us know if meeting during the daytime or evening hours would work better for you. Or if weekends would be best for your schedule. At Fans for the Cure, we want to support the women who love and care for men with this disease. Please offer suggestion on how we can tweak any aspect of this important program.

The next meeting of our Women’s Support Group is Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 8 PM ET. Attendance is free to all women, but registration is required.