Our Mission
AnCan is about people helping people, peer-to-peer … we are people living with various conditions and situations who help others faced with similar issues. We do this collectively and individually by providing answers, support and navigation to empower people living with serious and chronic conditions to address their worlds.
Our Vision
AnCan’s vision is to provide easily accessible, inclusive virtual peer support for every serious disease and condition allowing widespread participation, especially to those geographically, physically or socially disadvantaged.
Collaboration with other non-profits underpins our strategy.
Our Groups
AnCan is the FIRST virtual real time audio/visual peer-to-peer support group platform.
Our virtual, video chat groups can be accessed online via your desk or laptop computer, mobile device or by telephone. These virtual support group meetings are currently conducted on the GoToMeeting platform; to learn how to join, click here.
AnCan currently offers 20+ virtual groups monthly on a drop-in and free basis, no commitment! AND we’ve been doing this long before you ever heard of Covid.
Why are AnCan Support Groups different?
All our groups are peer moderated – you might find a professional or two present, but they are there as peers!
We train all our Moderators in AnCan ways …. what we consider ‘best practices‘!
- AnCan does not mix education with support – some people want to listen to a presentation, others need support. Mix the two and there is not enough time for either – and guarantied unhappy customers!
- AnCan prioritizes new participants – if they want to be ….. new group members are as important as folks who have been with us years. You’re not dropping in to an exclusive clique but are welcomed with open arms
- AnCan minimizes check-ins … we know you don’t want to sit through a series of one-on-one interviews wondering when your turn will come. Rather, we ask individually if you need time to talk – and we get to you.
- AnCan asks each particpant individually if they need time in our meeting – we get better response and participation than throwing out a general request
- AnCan encourages participants to support and speak to each other – we want all the virtual room to participate. That’s what makes for the best support group meetings.
Not everyone agrees with us …. but that’s why not all groups run as smoothly as AnCan’s and why they don’t deliver such great peer support!
AnCan also loves to collaborate – here are some of our support group partners:
- Our Prostate Cancer Groups are endorsed by UsTOO – we are their virtual live support group platform.
- Our Blood Cancers Group partners with Throwing Bones & Kicking Cancer in Heels
- Our Ovarian Cancer Group is on temporary hiatus while we identify a new partner
- Our Sarcoidosis Group partners with Stronger Than Sarcoidosis
- Our Renal Medullary Cancer Group Partners with the Chris ‘CJ’ Johnson Foundation and The Ricky Casey Trust
- Our Multiple Sclerosis Group is endorsed by the MS Foundation and the National MS Society
- We are seeking a partner for a Women’s Breast Cancer Group – if interested, please e-mail [email protected].
- We also have groups for Caregivers, Women’s Breast Cancer, Men’s Breast Cancer, Brain Cancer, and Thyroid Cancer.
If you are interested in hosting a virtual group for any chronic or serious condition, common or rare, and can find others to join, AnCan will support you to set up your own virtual group at no cost.
ACCEPTS VIRTUAL CLIENTS
[email protected]
https://ancan.org
1104 Hawthorne Circle
Shakpoee, Minnesota 55379
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