Press
Watertown Daily Times — September 2024
The Watertown Daily Times recently highlighted Compassionate Care Foundation’s growing impact across Northern New York, profiling founder Monica Behan Purcell and the organization’s mission to redefine the local cancer care experience through integrative, whole-person support.
Founded in 2022, Compassionate Care Foundation provides access to complementary therapies that work alongside conventional cancer treatment, addressing not only physical symptoms but also the emotional and psychological toll of a diagnosis. Services include acupuncture, massage, Reiki, yoga, meditation, nutritional counseling, and wellness coaching—offered through a network of nearly 30 professional practitioners serving Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
The article emphasizes the Foundation’s deep community roots, partnerships with regional cancer centers and hospice organizations, and its commitment to ensuring patients feel supported, empowered, and never alone throughout their journey. As demand for integrative care continues to grow, Compassionate Care Foundation is emerging as a vital bridge between medical treatment and compassionate, human-centered healing.
Channel 7: Your Morning Check-up
WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - They’re called “integrative therapies” and they’re meant to work hand in hand with standard cancer treatments.
Monica Behan is founder of the Compassionate Care Foundation and Eva Edwards is director of oncology at Samaritan Medical Center’s Walker Center for Cancer Care. They explained that while conventional medicine treats the disease, integrative therapies support the whole person – mind, body, and spirit.
Watch the video for their interview during Samaritan’s Morning Checkup segment on 7 News This Morning.
Strengthening Local Cancer Care
Thoughtful Giving — Summer 2024
Compassionate Care Foundation was recently featured in Thoughtful Giving, a publication of the Northern New York Community Foundation, recognizing the organization’s growing impact in expanding access to integrative cancer care across the North Country.
Founded in 2022 by Northern New York native Monica Behan, Compassionate Care Foundation was created to ease the emotional and physical toll of a cancer diagnosis by supporting patients through education, family support, community partnerships, and evidence-based integrative therapies. Since its founding, the organization has supported more than 150 individuals through nearly 1,000 care sessions.
The feature highlights the Foundation’s partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation, including two grants totaling $50,000 that are helping strengthen infrastructure, expand services, and build long-term sustainability. These funds directly support access to complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massage, Reiki, yoga, counseling, and nutritional support—care modalities designed to treat the whole person alongside conventional medical treatment.
Through collaborations with Samaritan Medical Center’s Walker Center for Cancer Care, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, and Hospice of Jefferson County, Compassionate Care Foundation has seen a rapid increase in patient referrals and community engagement. The article also underscores the importance of partnership, trust, and shared vision in building a responsive, community-rooted model of cancer support.
As Compassionate Care Foundation continues to grow, its mission remains clear: to improve quality of life and shift how cancer care is experienced—ensuring that no one has to navigate their diagnosis without compassionate, integrative support.
Strengthening Local Cancer Care
Thoughtful Giving — Summer 2024
Compassionate Care Foundation was recently featured in Thoughtful Giving, a publication of the Northern New York Community Foundation, recognizing the organization’s growing impact in expanding access to integrative cancer care across the North Country.
Founded in 2022 by Northern New York native Monica Behan, Compassionate Care Foundation was created to ease the emotional and physical toll of a cancer diagnosis by supporting patients through education, family support, community partnerships, and evidence-based integrative therapies. Since its founding, the organization has supported more than 150 individuals through nearly 1,000 care sessions.
The feature highlights the Foundation’s partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation, including two grants totaling $50,000 that are helping strengthen infrastructure, expand services, and build long-term sustainability. These funds directly support access to complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massage, Reiki, yoga, counseling, and nutritional support—care modalities designed to treat the whole person alongside conventional medical treatment.
Through collaborations with Samaritan Medical Center’s Walker Center for Cancer Care, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, and Hospice of Jefferson County, Compassionate Care Foundation has seen a rapid increase in patient referrals and community engagement. The article also underscores the importance of partnership, trust, and shared vision in building a responsive, community-rooted model of cancer support.
As Compassionate Care Foundation continues to grow, its mission remains clear: to improve quality of life and shift how cancer care is experienced—ensuring that no one has to navigate their diagnosis without compassionate, integrative support.
Northern New York 360 Article
“Cancer Care With A Compassionate Focus”, by Norah Machia