Here and Now

At Tower Cancer Research Foundation, our mission is deeply rooted in place. Southern California is our home, and our focus is on supporting breakthrough research and providing direct aid to those undergoing treatment right here.
 
So when wildfires erupted in Los Angeles on January 7, we swiftly mobilized the support networks we’ve built over years to respond to the crisis at hand.
 
Thousands of people in the greater Los Angeles area lost their homes, including hundreds of cancer patients. In an instant, they faced an overwhelming convergence of health and mental health crises—an intensified version of the resilience all cancer patients must cultivate.
 
Responding in Real Time
Tower immediately adapted our mental health services to meet the urgent needs of patients displaced or affected by the fires. The days were filled with urgent calls—patients seeking help rescheduling appointments, replacing medications and simply navigating the uncertainty. As the fires subsided, new concerns arose: how to rebuild, how to cope with the trauma, how to move forward.
Many calls came from our own community on the Westside of Los Angeles, particularly the Pacific Palisades, where entire neighborhoods were lost. But the devastation was even greater in Altadena, where access to insurance, healthcare and mental health support is more limited. When those calls came in, we stepped up—filling gaps wherever we could.
 
Expanding Our Mental Health Support
Tower has long recognized the profound mental health needs of cancer patients and their loved ones. We typically offer ten sessions of psychological counseling with a licensed therapist to anyone in our community who requests it. But as the fires raged, we knew we had to do more.
 
By January 9, we had expanded our services to include five additional sessions with specially trained disaster counselors—offering a safe space for patients to process their trauma, organize their thoughts, and regain a sense of control. For those who found traditional talk therapy unhelpful, we provided meditation sessions as an alternative path to healing.
 
Rising to the Moment
At Tower, we know the terrain. Every year, Cedars-Sinai alone diagnoses approximately 9,000 new cancer cases—data that informs and drives our work. Over time, we’ve developed a comprehensive range of wellness programs shaped by patient input, ensuring meaningful, responsive support for those in need.
 
This past January, when disaster compounded disease, we didn’t hesitate. Our community, our services and our networks allowed us to meet the moment with strength and compassion.
 
In those first hours, I answered calls myself—hearing the fear, the heartbreak but also the gratitude. It was a stark reminder of Tower Cancer’s essential role in Los Angeles.
 
Thank you for standing with us. Your support makes this work possible. May the year ahead bring healing and hope.