As cancer survivors, Jo Brown and Diane Hammond know firsthand how important it is to have the right support when facing a potentially deadly diagnosis. As Athenians, they know it can be hard to find that support in their city.

“When I was going through it, I couldn’t find any support groups in Athens at the time,” said Brown, who has been in remission for one year from breast cancer. “I would have had to go to Huntsville or Decatur, and going through chemo(therapy), I didn’t really feel like going to another city.”

In the last 10 years, Brown has seen cancer do quite the number on her family. She was caring for her grandmother, who was fighting cancer, when her grandmother’s sister died of the disease. Around the same time, Brown’s mother died, and a year later, Brown was diagnosed.

“Emotionally, you are devastated when you get the news of cancer,” Brown said. “You are devastated, and you need people to surround you with love and support and prayer.”

That prayer comes in part from her friend, Hammond, who she goes to church with. Hammond has set up several support groups in the 25 years since her own bout with breast cancer, which was the first in her family.

“I had good support through sisters and church friends, which helped a lot,” Hammond said.

Hammond was living elsewhere at the time. She found, led and built cancer support groups just about everywhere she moved, including a group called “Ta-Ta Sisterhood.”

“I’ve been in Athens for about five years now, and I just felt the need to start another group,” she said.

The Athens support group will meet each Tuesday morning from 10–11:30 a.m. and on the second Tuesday of each month from 6–7:30 p.m. The meetings are faith-based and open to any individual affected by any type of cancer, including patients, survivors, caregivers and supporters.

“Going through (cancer), I did have the support of my family and friends, but I did not have that support group of people who had been through it, and it makes a big difference,” Brown said. “You don’t understand it until you’ve actually gone through it yourself.”

The group will meet at Discovery Church, at the corner of U.S. 31 and Forrest Street in Athens. Hammond said meetings will include Scripture and prayer, as well as information related to treatments or recent medical breakthroughs. There will also be an opportunity for people to share their personal experiences with cancer.