Beyond pink: Stewart’s Caring Place supports all cancer journeys | Guest opinion

October comes with an air of cooler weather and charitable giving; it’s a time when pink ribbons emerge and widespread efforts are made to raise awareness and funds for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

These powerful efforts have saved lives and built strong communities of support. But at Stewart’s Caring Place: Cancer Wellness Centers, we often hear something that stops us in our tracks:

“I wish I had breast cancer instead of [another cancer]. There are just so many more resources available.”

This painful sentiment does not fall on deaf ears as it speaks to a broader issue: while breast cancer awareness has rightfully gained traction in recent years, individuals with other cancer diagnoses — such as pancreatic, head and neck, or prostate cancer — often feel overshadowed.

According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, while the American Cancer Society reports that 1 in 8 women may develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, alongside lung and colorectal cancers. However, the Cancer Research Institute has identified more than 200 types and subcategories of cancer, all varying in origin in the body or cell. This includes rare cancers — such as kidney cancer and sarcoma — that affect less than 50,000 people annually in the United States, but delayed detection of these rare cancers often changes the effectiveness of timely treatment. Although each type of cancer brings its own unique distinctions and challenges, they share similar developments at their core.

Despite the distinctions between cancer diagnoses, the nationwide impact of the disease also broadly presents mental health, financial, and food insecurities that we at Stewart’s Caring Place are aiming to address.Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!

There is more to cancer than routine medical appointments and procedures that some people may not realize. Stewart’s Caring Place’s mission is to provide a welcoming, understanding, and helpful environment for the additional day-to-day challenges that a cancer diagnosis brings.

Hair loss, for example, can be quite emotional and harmful to one’s self esteem. Therefore, we provide an extensive wig, hat, and scarf collection with fitting services for our participants, along with other beauty programs such as relaxing Elana’s Blessings Pampering Nights and educational Love Your Look beauty classes.

Moreover, the capacity to maintain daily nutrition also goes unnoticed, so we host nutritional cooking classes and stock our wellness centers with snacks, refreshments, and monthly food shares for our Comunale Cancer Foundation-sponsored food pantry.

The unspoken financial strains that come with a cancer diagnosis are not lost at Stewart’s Caring Place, as we work with knowledgeable facilitators who offer financial and legal consultations. Not to mention, all of these services and more are free of cost, as to not add another financial burden.

At Stewart’s Caring Place, we support individuals, families, friends and caregivers facing any cancer diagnosis, all year round. We want to instill a sense of dignity, hope and belonging to ensure no one feels alone on their journey. Alongside our monthly Elana’s Blessings Breast Cancer Support Group, we also have support groups for lung cancer, prostate cancer, gynecologic cancers, inspiration for the journey, young adults, caregivers and those grieving a loss to cancer. Our wellness services are free and available to people of all ages, genders and backgrounds, no matter what stage in their cancer journey they are in.

This October and beyond, we want to broaden the conversation and make space for every cancer story, not just the ones most recognized. With a singular cancer diagnosis often touching the family, friends and caregivers as a whole, we want to ensure that those having this experience have a place to turn to.

Every cancer diagnosis deserves compassion. Every person on their cancer journey deserves community.

Sarah Vojtek is CEO and president of Stewart’s Caring Place, which has locations in Fairlawn and Canton.

Guest editorial originally published by Akron Beacon Journal on October 9, 2025.