Close to three decades ago, Judith Hanzelin, an oncology nurse, had a patient traveling to Hinsdale to a cancer wellness center that offered supportive services to those going through cancer treatment.
That patient, Joan Hopkins, expressed her wish to have something like that available in the Homewood community. “She asked if I would help with getting a center started here,” said Hanzelin.
Editor’s note: This article is the sixth in a series of stories that originally were published in the Chronicle’s March 1 health and wellness supplement sponsored by Franciscan Health.
Close to three decades ago, Judith Hanzelin, an oncology nurse, had a patient traveling to Hinsdale to a cancer wellness center that offered supportive services to those going through cancer treatment.
That patient, Joan Hopkins, expressed her wish to have something like that available in the Homewood community. “She asked if I would help with getting a center started here,” said Hanzelin.
From there, Hanzelin reached out to a friend who reached out to another friend who reached out to another friend. Soon there were six ladies working toward the same goal. They were the founders of the Cancer Support Center in 1992.
Hopkins died in early 1993. “She literally used her last energies to help open this,” said Hanzelin. “She wanted to leave this.”
Incorporated in 1993, CSC opened an office space in the spring of 1994. It later moved to a larger location and then to the current space at 2028 Elm Road in Homewood, where there was room to expand programming. Hanzelin served on the board for the first 12 years.
The center has professional paid staff and a number of generous volunteers that provide therapies, support groups and other activities. Hanzelin happens to be one of those volunteers.
The center doesn’t receive government support and operating funds are raised through fundraisers and sales at the Village Door resale shop.
Hanzelin got a late start in the nursing profession, graduating from South Suburban College with her nursing degree at age 40. It was the care of her grandmother and uncle who both had different forms of cancer, who inspired her.
“I was in the oncology department for (the bone marrow biopsy) and I saw the difference it made in who took care of you,” she explained. “I was an art major, but after that I felt like I should go into nursing. I went into nursing to do oncology.”
She worked at several hospitals. It was when she worked at a doctor’s office in the Ingalls Professional Building in Harvey that she met Hopkins. Hanzelin said that the doctor was very supportive of what she was trying to do as she and others worked to get the center started.
“I was so interested in it because I knew of the need. I knew how much we needed this,” she said. “What we were doing was helpful to people, but it wasn’t enough. We needed to do more.”
Today the Cancer Support Center continues at its Homewood location and has a second location in Mokena.
“There are so many things offered. They do yoga and a fitness program. There’s individual counseling with professional counselors,” she said.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The center has a full calendar of activities and a wide range of services – among them art therapy, support and networking groups, nutrition consulting, a lending library, meditation sessions.
After retiring from nursing nearly 20 years ago, Hanzelin became a massage therapist and worked in that capacity for the next 10 years. For the past 10 years Hanzelin, 76, has been a volunteer at the center where she does cranial sacral therapy.
“Judith was one of the founders of the center while she was working as an oncology nurse. Though supportive cancer care was not seen as an important part of treatment, Judith could see the dramatic impact on cancer patients when she could provide limited help to them with anxiety or depression,” said Sue Armato, executive director.
“She turned her professional commitment of caring for those with cancer into the beautiful CSC. Even all these years later, she continues to provide weekly cranial sacral therapies at each of our locations, as well as participates in our weekly knit and crochet group.”
Hanzelin said that what she’s most proud of about the center is “the help it gives people.”
“We know we can’t change what they are going through, but it can make a difference,” said Hanzelin. “It’s just a wonderful place.”
Information on the center’s programs is at cancersupportcenter.org.
Be Well 2020:
- The right moves make all the difference (March 14, 2020)
- Bariatric surgery can reduce dieting struggles and obesity (March 13, 2020)
- Joint replacement eases pain (March 12, 2020)
- Heart scan can help detect early coronary risk programming (March 11, 2020)
- 5 benefits of having a primary care doctor (March 10, 2020)