Houston – For many people, hearing the words “you have cancer” is followed by one overwhelming question: Now what?
That’s where the Houston-based nonprofit CanCare steps in. For more than three decades, the organization has worked to ensure no one faces cancer alone by pairing patients and their families with trained survivor-volunteers who understand the journey firsthand.
CanCare President and CEO Darcie Wells says a cancer diagnosis affects far more than the body.
“When you face a cancer diagnosis, it’s more than just the physical healing process,” Wells explained. “There’s an emotional, mental and spiritual side of it too. For 35 years, CanCare has focused on providing that emotional support.”
Wells says research shows hope can have a real impact on outcomes.
“Hope is powerful medicine,” she said. “Scientific research has shown that people who have hope during their cancer journey often have better health outcomes.”
The organization provides that hope by matching cancer patients with survivors who have experienced a similar diagnosis.
For cancer survivor Renee Hansen, that support was life-changing.
“I didn’t know about CanCare when I was first diagnosed,” Hansen said. “A friend introduced me, and I realized I could be matched with someone who would walk the journey alongside me. It was exactly what I needed at the time.”
Hansen’s diagnosis was particularly rare. She had salivary gland cancer, a condition that affects less than one percent of people diagnosed with cancer. Through CanCare, she was paired with a volunteer who had experienced the same type of cancer.
“To have someone who had already been down that road and could walk beside me made such a difference,” Hansen said.
After completing her treatment, Hansen felt inspired to give back by becoming a volunteer herself. Now, she supports other patients navigating their own diagnoses.
Today, Hansen is nearly a decade cancer-free.
CanCare was founded more than 35 years ago by Anne Shaw Turnage, who was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at age 46. After witnessing the lack of emotional support available to patients, she created the organization to connect survivors with those currently battling the disease.
Now, the need for support continues to grow. In 2025 alone, more than 85,000 young adults between the ages of 15 and 39 were diagnosed with cancer.
CanCare has trained about 2,500 volunteers over the years, but Wells says the number of patients seeking support continues to rise.
CanCare recently released a book called Hope in the Face of Cancer. The award-winning book features 50 stories from survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals, including Hansen’s own experience.
Wells says the goal is to reach people who may not yet be ready to ask for help.
Thanks to generous donors, copies of the book are being distributed to newly diagnosed patients across the Houston area.
And support from CanCare isn’t limited to the early days of treatment.
“Sometimes the emotions hit even after someone finishes treatment,” Wells said. “Their support system goes back to normal, and that’s when they realize they still need someone to talk to.”
Anyone facing cancer, whether newly diagnosed, in treatment, or years into survivorship, can connect with CanCare for support. Cancer survivors interested in volunteering are also encouraged to get involved.
For more information or to connect with the organization, visit their website here.