Cancer Support Program - Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation

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Dr. Margot Burnell Cancer Support Program:

Cancer Support Program

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Beyond Treatment:
Care, Connection & Community

Cancer care doesn’t end with treatment. The Dr. Margot Burnell Cancer Support Program offers free, community-based support to help people care for their whole well-being and feel less alone along the way.

Open to anyone impacted by cancer — patients, survivors, caregivers, and loved ones — the program provides compassionate support through movement, education, symptom management, and connection, in a safe and welcoming space.

program information

Find connection, strength, and support

Access free programs and events for individuals, loved ones and caregivers with a lived experience of cancer — during treatment and beyond. These programs are delivered through Horizon Health Network, in collaboration with trusted community partners, and made possible through the generosity of our donors.

Offered in a safe, welcoming environment at our Cancer Support Centre , participants from across Southern New Brunswick can feel confident knowing programs are evidence-based and supported by Cancer Care Clinic team, while also experiencing the warmth of community and peer connection.

Feel supported, understood and connected

Ease pain, fatigue and emotional distress

Gently rebuild strength, movement, and confidence

Navigate financial, workplace, and everyday life challenges

get support

"After cancer, I had felt that I lost part of myself and would never be the same. I may not be the exact same, but the Cancer Support and Stay Strong programs have helped by getting me on the right path. I have my confidence back. I know I’m on a journey where hope is keeping me positive."

—Betty-Ann Lewell

Program Benefits

Living Well

Supportive and empowering programs for everyday well-being such as nutrition, symptom management and coping strategies.

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Living Well programs are designed to support the day-to-day realities of living with cancer — during treatment, recovery, and beyond. These offerings focus on practical tools, trusted education, and evidence-informed strategies to help you feel more informed, more confident, and more supported in your daily life.

Programs may include nutrition education, symptom management, guest speakers, and skill-building sessions that address both physical and emotional well-being.

Examples of Living Well programs may include:

- Nourish & Thrive nutrition series
- Symptom Management Programs
- Power Days & Speaker Series
- Look Good Feel Better and other confidence-building workshops

Mindful Moments

Mindfulness, meditation, and creative expression to support emotional well-being and moments of calm.

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Mindful Moments programs create space to pause, breathe, and reconnect — supporting emotional health, stress reduction, and inner calm. These offerings invite you to slow down, tune in, and explore mindfulness through guided practices and creative expression.

Whether you’re new to mindfulness or have an existing practice, these programs are designed to be welcoming, accessible, and supportive.

Examples of Mindful Moments programs may include:

Softening into Stillness – guided relaxation, gentle movement, and grounding practices
Art Therapy & Creative Workshops
Sound Therapy and Music Therapy
Mindfulness-based programs

Care & Connect

Peer support, resources, and community-based social programs that meet you where you are.

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Care & Connect programs focus on connection, understanding, and shared experience. Whether you’re looking for one-on-one support, a group setting, or practical resources, these programs help reduce isolation and remind you that you’re not navigating cancer alone.

Support is available in different formats to reflect the unique needs, preferences, and stages of each individual’s journey.

Examples of Care & Connect programs may include:

- Peer-to-Peer Support
- Support Groups
- Men’s and Women’s Support Groups
- Social and community events
- Wig Program and practical support resources

Strength & Movement

Gentle movement and rehabilitation programs focused on strength, recovery and confidence.

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Strength & Movement programs support physical recovery, mobility, and confidence through safe, guided exercise and gentle movement. Designed specifically for people affected by cancer, these programs meet you at your current ability level and evolve with you over time.

Movement can support energy levels, balance, strength, and overall quality of life — whether you’re just starting or continuing your recovery journey.

Examples of Strength & Movement programs may include:

Stay Strong Cancer Recovery Program
Gentle Yoga and mobility-focused classes
Specialty movement programs

A name rooted in gratitude

This program was named by its founding donors in honour of Dr. Margot Burnell, whose compassion, clinical leadership, and commitment to patient-centred cancer care inspired their vision. Their generosity reflects the values she has long championed — care that supports the whole person, beyond treatment.

"This program represents what health care can be when compassion, evidence, and community come together. It has been deeply humbling to see how far it has come, made possible by so many dedicated partners, clinicians, and patient advocates along the way — and to know that patients are finding strength, trust, and connection through it.”

—Dr. Margot Burnell

Made possible through generosity and care

“As a cancer patient and survivor, your life is forever changed. It is in the spirit of helping others on this difficult journey that the vision for a holistic cancer survivorship program first came to be. We are proud to see it come to life in the Dr. Burnell Cancer Survivorship Program - in providing professional holistic support, in building a community of kindness and care. It is in this spirit that we remember Arthur - in his kindness in helping others, in never giving up. We are forever thankful for every caregiver and every patient who this program will help in so many ways. Having lost Arthur L. Irving to cancer in May of 2024, the foundation remains deeply committed to supporting health research and care, always with the goal of making a difficult journey better for someone else.”

Having lost Arthur L. Irving to a long battle with cancer in May of 2024, Sandra, Sarah and the foundation remain deeply committed to supporting health research and care, always with the goal of making a difficult journey better for someone else.

Irving Oil is proud to serve the communities in which it operates, fuelled by meeting the needs of its customers. The company proudly operates two refineries – Canada’s largest and Ireland’s only refinery – a network of distribution terminals, more than 900 fuelling locations and a fleet of tractor trailers to deliver a reliable supply of energy for its customers.

The company was founded in 1924 on the belief that people matter. That commitment starts with a team of more than 4,000 employees in Canada, the United States and Ireland, and extends to the company’s wholesale, commercial and retail customers.