Location: Dorothy S. O’Brien Center, 6522 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Our telephone Lifeline provides emotional support and resource referrals to anyone who is living with cancer; patients, survivors, friends, family members, caregivers and co-workers, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. Volunteers must be comfortable listening to profound emotions and have the ability to be a good listener, provide non-judgmental support and understand that listening does not equate to giving advice or trying to fix some aspect of the situation.

Volunteer Requirements:

Must have a telephone if connecting remotely to the Lifeline*
Must have access to the internet for completing log reports and assisting callers to register for programs and classes
Participate in Lifeline in-services
Make a one year commitment to role of Lifeline Volunteer
Provide advance notice of 2-3 months when plan to leave Lifeline Program

Training Requirements:

Participate in an 18-hour Zoom training program. After training, you will be asked to take up to four 3-hour weekday shifts per month.

Snapshot of Training Material:

Confidentiality
Lifeline Policies & Procedures
In-depth Education on Cancer Lifeline Programming
Understanding Cancer Pathways
Active Listening Techniques
Exploring the Grieving Cycle
Assessment of Suicidal Callers
The Four Needs of People Affected by Cancer
Creating Open-ended Responses
Clarifying Content
Exploring Caller Issues
Discussing Our Own Experiences With Death & Dying
Beliefs About Helping
In-class Role Plays (also conducted over the phone)

Cancer Lifeline

New Opportunities

Lifeline Specialist Volunteer