My sister is starting chemo for soft tissue sarcoma— looking for Vancouver support resources

Hello Vancouver,

I'm not sure where to post this so let's start here.

I’m writing this because my family is stepping into something we don’t fully know how to navigate yet. My sister was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma.

Last year she went through radiation and surgery for a mass in her arm. More recently, she had emergency surgery to remove another mass in her abdomen. She starts chemotherapy next week and will be in treatment for about 10 months.

We’re trying to be strong and organized going into this, but it’s obviously overwhelming. She lives in the West End and family is located around North Burnaby and Squamish. I’d really appreciate any guidance from people in Vancouver who’ve walked this road before — whether as a patient, family member, or healthcare provider.

We’re especially hoping to find:

- Wigs or head coverings

- Tips and tricks

- Financial assistance programs

- Counselling or mental health support (for her and for family)

- Support groups (especially sarcoma-specific or young adult groups, if those exist)

- Nutrition support during chemo

- Transportation or practical support services

- Any local organizations or small programs that made a real difference for you

We’re already looking into BC Cancer resources, but personal experiences, lesser-known supports, and personal tips are what I’m hoping to learn about.

If you have suggestions, even small ones, they would mean a lot.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.