Lung Cancer Support Group Facilitator 2023 awardees

GO2’s Senior Manager of Support Services, Miranda Goff; award recipients Michelle Hills and Sarah Bechard; GO2’s Senior Director of Support Initiatives, Maureen Rigney

We are excited to announce our 2023 Lung Cancer Support Group Facilitator awardees are Sarah Bechard and Michelle Hills. Awarded annually since 2009, this award recognizes the uncommon dedication of support group facilitators.  

Michelle Hills is a social worker who was diagnosed with lung cancer and is treated at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. She approached Sarah Bechard, a social worker at the center, about starting a lung cancer group. They worked closely together planning and launching a very successful group in 2019.  

Then came the year that changed everything. 

Leading a successful support group takes a good deal of time, thought and flexibility, even in ordinary times, but leading and growing a support group during the COVID-19 pandemic is an even more extraordinary feat.  

When meeting in person was no longer safe or even possible, Sarah and Michelle went to extraordinary measures to keep the group engaged and going strong. In the beginning, they and their group members navigated a complex telephone conferencing system. When they switched to Zoom, they had to figure out how to use that platform and to creatively overcome initial time restrictions.  

Notably, when they recognized the toll social isolation was having on group members, Sarah and Michelle increased the frequency of their group from once a month to twice a month. Another testament to their approach and care is the fact that they have not had a single member drop out since the group started four years ago. 

We are incredibly grateful to all lung cancer support group facilitators for continuing to offer resources and support to those touched by lung cancer on a local level, and especially to Michelle and Sarah whose extraordinary work we recognized this year.  

Sarah and Michelle accepted the Lung Cancer Support Group Facilitator award at GO2’s annual Lung Cancer Voices Summit on Tuesday, March 21 from GO2’s Senior Director of Support Initiatives, Maureen Rigney, and Senior Manager of Support Services, Miranda Goff.