Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara

08/21/2026

For many people, the cost of a can be a barrier to getting potentially lifesaving colorectal cancer screening. 🎗

That’s why we partner with Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, Ridley-Tree Cancer Center and Sansum Clinic Gastroenterology, now part of Sutter Health, to help uninsured and underinsured patients at increased risk for access screening close to home.

✨In the first six months of 2026, 14 local patients from Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics received free colonoscopies through this program, and in 2025, 27 patients received free colonoscopies.✨

Note: Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinic identifies patients that are eligible for this financial support.

08/19/2026

Today is World Breast Cancer Research Day! 🎗️

We’re celebrating the , researchers, and who make breast cancer possible. Cancer care wouldn’t be where it is today without their participation and hard work!

🔬During the first six months of 2026, Ridley-Tree Cancer Center had 5 breast cancer clinical trials available to patients. 🧬This year, the Cancer Foundation awarded $683,030 to support the Cancer Center’s clinical trials program.

08/12/2026

Since 2014, local acupuncturist Matt Pesendian has provided services to cancer patients in our community—thanks to funding from the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara.

📊In the first 6 months of 2026 alone, Matt supported 79 cancer patients, helping them manage side effects and improve their quality of life.

We are proud to fund programs like this, bringing care and relief to those who need it most.

08/06/2026

Team Gary is putting in the miles! 🚴🏊🧡

Created by KLITE in memory of beloved Santa Barbara radio host Gary Fruin, Team Gary is training hard for the Santa Barbara Triathlon SB10 event on August 29th — and they are getting closer to their $10,000 fundraising goal for the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara every day.

We are so inspired by their dedication and grateful for every mile they put in for local cancer care. Want to support Team Gary? Visit the link in our bio! 🎗

07/29/2026

You are not alone.

Ridley-Tree Cancer Center offers free support groups where you can connect with other patients, survivors, or caregivers who truly understand what you are going through.

Available support groups:
💙 Breast Cancer — Beginning the Journey to Wellness
💙 Caring for the Caregiver
💙 Gynecological Cancers Support Group
💙 Head and Neck Tumors Support Group
💙 Life after Cancer Treatment — Discovering Your New Normal
💙 Living with Lung Cancer
💙 Prostate Cancer Support Group
💙 Young Adults Support Group
💙 Tools for Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis

All groups are facilitated by professional staff and made possible by the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara.

💬If you are interested in joining a support group or know someone who might be comment “support” below and we will send you more info and where to register.

07/24/2026

Paying it Forward: Sue’s Cancer Journey and Her Commitment to Giving Back 🎗💙

When Sue Suttner was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2014, she didn’t know what to expect. What she found at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara (now Ridley-Tree Cancer Center) was a team that coordinated her care and ensured she didn’t have to navigate the journey alone.

A nurse navigator connected her to a social worker for emotional support, a genetic counselor reached out for testing, a nutritionist guided her through treatment, and a caregiver class helped her husband Scott understand how to support her at home.

Nearly ten years after her first diagnosis, Sue faced another aggressive tumor.

She returned to Ridley-Tree, where the advances she witnessed were remarkable. In 2014, her treatment required 33 rounds of radiation. By 2024, the Center’s state-of-the-art technology allowed for precisely targeted therapy, dramatically reducing the number of treatments needed.

In addition to conventional chemotherapy, she also received immunotherapy, a treatment that simply hadn’t existed a decade earlier.

✨It is that progress and the compassionate programs that supported her through both journeys that inspired Sue and her husband, Scott, to include a bequest to the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara in their estate plans. ✨

“Our hope is that through ongoing bequests from ourselves and our community, Santa Barbara will continue to be on the leading edge of cancer treatment for generations to come.” -Scott Suttner

🔗Learn more about Sue’s journey and her generosity in our 2025 annual report (link in bio).

07/23/2026

After one of their Sunday practices, Team Gary gathered at Paradise Springs Winery to hear from Siri Lindley, 2x World Champion, Hall of Fame triathlete, and global keynote speaker as she shared her story as a cancer survivor and gave an uplifting talk about resilience and facing challenges head on, inspiring the team as they prepare for the Santa Barbara Triathlon. 🏊🚴‍♀️🏃

Created by KLITE in memory of beloved Santa Barbara radio host Gary Fruin, the team is closing in on their $10,000 fundraising goal in support of the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara — already $8,000 there! 🎗

Read more about Team Gary at the link in our bio.

07/16/2026

This week, our team toured UC Santa Barbara's Research Mentorship Program (RMP) and met some truly inspiring high school students who are spending their summer doing hands-on, university-level cancer research. 🔬💡

Thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, these young scientists are gaining early access to oncology research and mentorship. Our grant helps offset program costs and provides scholarships, making this experience accessible to more local and underrepresented students.

We are proud to invest in the next generation of cancer researchers — and grateful to UCSB for their partnership since 2013.

07/15/2026

Cancer changes you inside and out — and for many patients, the physical side effects of treatment, including hair loss and changes in skin texture, can take a real toll on self-esteem and confidence. 🎗

That's why we are proud to financially support the Wig & Hat Boutique at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, where patients can access a wide selection of wigs, hats, and prostheses at no charge.

It's a small but meaningful way to help cancer patients feel more like themselves during and after treatment.

To learn more about the Wig & Hat Boutique at the Cancer Center, call Oncology Social Work at (805) 879-5690.

07/10/2026

When Angela De Bruyn was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2024, the news came as a profound shock.

At 44, with no family history of cancer and no warning signs beyond a lump she discovered herself, she was suddenly facing biopsies, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

“It was overwhelming,” she said. “There’s testing, surgery, treatment, paperwork, insurance questions — and it just keeps coming.”

As a single mother with family out of state, Angela needed support and that’s exactly what she found with Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s Patient Navigation program, funded by the Cancer Foundation.

“My navigator reached out immediately and broke each stage down into manageable steps, providing structure and reassurance, and helping me understand what to expect along the way. They made me aware of so many resources I wouldn’t have found on my own.”

The help allowed Angela to focus on her own mental health and being present for her son.

“The support I received there changed my whole experience for the better,” she said.

That coordinated care is made possible by Cancer Foundation grants that help ensure that no patient has to navigate a cancer diagnosis alone.

COMMUNITY IMPACT Patient Stories Read stories from patients who directly benefit from the programs and services funded by the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. Oncology Nutrition Dawn Elliott Dawn's Story Patient Navigation Program Angela De Bruyn Angela's Story Patien...