Support groups are an important part of coping with any loss, illness or disease. And although not everyone feels comfortable attending a support group for whatever reason it's still a good idea to know where your local one is at just in case curiosity gets the best of you and you decide to give it a try.
As part of the Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter of CCFA we are fortunate to have a large number of support groups covering the vast geographic region in which we live in. That is with some small exceptions. Below are the various support groups with their proper contact information.
As a side note if you live in one of the Gateway cities the most convenient support group location would be the North Orange Support group. The Gateway Cites are those cities that roughly line the 605 from the 60 in the north down to the 405 in the south, essentially they make up the Los Angeles County/Orange County border.
CCFA Support Groups
CCFA Support Group Calendar
Los Angeles East J-Pouch Group
USC Norris Cancer Hospital
1441 Eastlake Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Lobby Conference Room
Meets quarterly on the first Saturday of the month.
Meetings in 2011 are March 5, June 4, September 10**, and December 3.
** Change to 2nd Saturday due to Labor Day weekend
Facilitators: Dorothy Rocha, MSW, LCSW & Yolee Casagrande, RN, (323) 865-3156
Los Angeles-West
CCFA Greater Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter
1640 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 214
Los Angeles, CA 90025
3rd Monday of every month, 6:30-8:30 PM (4th Monday in January and February due to holidays)
Facilitator: Tillie Huber, R.N. (800) 677-5252
Greater San Gabriel Valley
Foothill Nursing Center
401 West Ada
Glendora, CA 91741
3rd Thursday of every month, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Facilitator: Gwen Hards, (626) 335-6100, glhbeach@hotmail.com
Orange - UCI Medical Center
H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center
101 The City Drive S
Chao Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2nd Floor Lobby Area
Orange, CA 92868
1st Wednesday of every month, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Facilitator: Kristin McMaster, MSW (714) 456-7057
Orange
Ostomy Association of Orange County
P.O. Box 7041
Orange, CA 92863
North Orange
Los Alamitos Medical Center
3751 Katella Avenue
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
Last Monday of every month, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Facilitator: Darrin Pagenkopp, MsEd, (714) 280-6377
Parents Support Group in Orange County
The Bell Tower
22232 El Paseo
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
3rd Monday of every month, 6:00 - 8:00 PM (3rd Tuesday in January and February due to holidays)
Facilitator: Pamela George, pammyg05@att.net
San Fernando Valley
Valley Beth Shalom
15739 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA 91436
1st Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9:30 PM
Facilitators: Bebe Shpall, (818) 349-3040
Sue Bagott, (818) 342-9972
Ostomy Association of Los Angeles
P.O. Box 2077
Winnetka, CA 91306
For more information: contact Bob Hamburg, or Jesse Grazer (818) 337-8416 info@theoala.org - www.theOALA.org
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol
in the "Leather Lounge"
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
1st Monday of every month, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Please call or email facilitator before attending.
Facilitator: Karen Clark, (805) 252-0491, redeyepix@cox.net
South Bay
Beach Cities Health District
514 N. Prospect Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
2nd Thursday of every month, 7:00-8:30 PM
Facilitator: Gary Hirschhorn, (310) 839-4981
Tehachapi - Inactive*
Tehachapi Valley Hospital
115 West E Street
Tehachapi, CA 93561
Conference Room
3rd Thursday of every month
* Loretta Fleming, (661) 823-9448, is available for peer support until the group becomes active again.
UCLA*
Undergrad and Grad Student Group
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
757 Westwood Plaza
6th Floor Room 6234 (Take East elevators)
Los Angeles, CA 90095
* Group is only for patients or caregivers
Facilitator: Nanae Takatori, ntakatori@mednet.ucla.edu
Ventura County/Thousand Oaks Area
Los Robles Medical Center - East Campus
Rehabilitation Center - 1st Floor Conference Room
150 Via Merida
Westlake Village, CA 91362
Last Tuesday of every month, 7:00-9:00 PM
Facilitator: Lisa M., (805) 444-7977, lee410@aol.com
Los Angeles West J-Pouch Group
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
757 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Basement, room 124 A/B
Meets quarterly on the second Saturday of the month.
Meetings in 2011 are February 12, May 14, August 13, and November 12.
Dr. Jonathan Sack, Colorectal Surgeon (UCLA) serves as the medical advisor.
Facilitator: Michael May, mtmay42@yahoo.com or (310) 546-7927
Orange County J-Pouch Group
St. Joseph's Hospital
1100 W. Stewart Drive
Orange, CA 92868
Basement, meeting rooms A & B
Meets quarterly on the third Saturday of the month.
The meetings in 2011 are January 15, April 16, July 16, and October 15.
For more information: 714-771-8000 x7106
