No One Should Face Cancer Alone.
Empowering Individuals and Their Families Impacted by Cancer
Through Education and Support Services
You are not alone.
Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center began in 2001 as a way for the family and friends of the late Michelle Watson to honor her wish of creating a place of comfort and support for people fighting cancer because
“No One Should Face Cancer Alone.”
Michelle’s Place is a non-profit comfort and support resource center that offers no-cost services to ANYONE fighting ANY type of Cancer.
As a resident of Temecula, California, Michelle Watson was frustrated with the lack of local resources available to her while facing the challenges of cancer treatment. A cancer diagnosis is always a shock. Even more so for a healthy young woman like Michelle who was vegan, studied holistic medicine, and was interested in joining the Peace Corp. Michelle shared concerns about a lump in her breast on several occasions to different medical providers. Each time, she was assured she was too young and healthy for any concern. It was her Peace Corp physical examination that prompted a biopsy and finally a diagnosis of Stage IV breast cancer at the age of 23.
Michelle was desperate to find others who understood the emotional toll that cancer is. She found support at the Santa Barbara Breast Cancer Resource Center. Michelle found someone who cared about her as a person, and not only the cancer. She envisioned a local resource center in the Temecula Valley that would offer the same emotional comfort, support, and hope. The Center she dreamed of would include both educational and supportive components for the whole family.
Instead of focusing on missed opportunities, Michelle’s family and friends chose to take positive action and bring Michelle’s wish to reality. Michelle’s Place was founded in her honor less than a year after she earned her angel wings.
Michelle always shared her knowledge and experience in battling cancer in a positive, uplifting way. This continues to be the goal for Michelle’s Place every day.
Michelle’s Place offers all services at no cost to the community, tailored to meet the needs of the client: financial assistance, support groups, comfort items (wigs, prosthetics, etc.), wellness classes, a behavioral health team, and educational resources. We began in 2001 as a breast cancer support center and 5 years ago, we expanded to serve all cancers.
We have a variety of NO-cost support and comfort services for the cancer client, as well as their families and caregivers. Some examples are:
Support groups,
Educational resources,
Community Health Workers on staff that help coordinate financial assistance and applicable grants,
A care team of Navigators to map out the client’s needs and journey,
A Behavioral Health Team offering 1 on 1, couples, children counseling as well as a variety of support groups,
Wellness/health/movement classes like Reiki, Tai Chi, Restorative Yoga, Sound Bath, Walking group, Wellness Warriors, Hypnotherapy, and more,
No-Cost comfort items provided: wigs, Chemo kits, Mastectomy kits, bras, prosthesis and more,
Creative Outlet Classes: Sewing, Cardmaking, Online Expressive Art, Mosaics, Book Club, Craft Night and others.
41669 Winchester Road #101
Temecula, California 92590 in southern California
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