Nobody should carry the weight of cancer alone. Yet many people face the toll of a diagnosis without the support they need.
That’s why Crossroads4Hope exists. The nonprofit organization offers people diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones a free network of resources, information and professionals to help them through and beyond cancer with strength and hope.
“We stay involved in people’s lives for as long as cancer is a worry,” said Amy Sutton, chief executive officer of Crossroad4Hope.
The organization was founded 25 years ago by four women with personal and professional connections to cancer. While its base is Bedminster, New Jersey, it helps people across the U.S. and in several other countries through virtual programs and mobile support.
Its services include:
- Support groups for survivors, caregivers, and those managing men’s cancers and advanced cancers.
- Cancer education, nutrition programs and wellness workshops
- Guidance on navigating medical and insurance information and shared treatment decision-making
- MyGo2Support, a free digital support tool that connects users to clinical help
Crossroads4Hope works with major hospitals to supplement their cancer care, including RWJBarnabas Health, Atlantic Health and Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Sutton said. Contracts with those hospitals supplement philanthropy that is the primary source of funding.
This past April, Crossroads4Hope opened the Mark Lipschutz Center for Nutrition & Family on its Bedminster campus. Named in memory of one of the organization’s members, the facility includes a commercial teaching kitchen, a wellness and educational space, and a clubhouse for children and teens diagnosed with cancer or affected by a family member’s diagnosis.
Crossroads4Hope also created a series of online resource hubs that bring together evidence-based cancer information, tools, and connections to supportive care. The Blood Cancer Resource Hub launched in September during Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Sutton, who has been CEO since 2012, experienced the toll of cancer firsthand when her husband was suddenly diagnosed with a rare form of the disease. She described herself as feeling “dropped into the middle of a storm” despite her access to resources. Though her husband is doing well, she said the fear never fully disappears, especially at follow-up scans. “Scanxiety is a real thing,” she said. “Until you get the call that says everything is OK, it’s not OK.”
“I was my husband’s health champion,” she said. “I want everybody to have one.”
For information about Crossroad4Hope, go to crossroads4hope.org.
Individuals and families seeking support from Crossroads4Hope can:
- Call 908-658-5400.
- Email [email protected].
- Enroll in MyGo2Support for personalized, 24/7 mobile support.
