Learning from our clients.
We know there is so much more than can be done to improve the lives of people facing cancer. A big part of putting Cancer Legal Care's mission into action is adding to the body of research working to do just that.
We are grateful for our research partners and to our clients who generously give of their time to help advance the changes that are needed.
Current and recent studies
COLLABS (COLorectal Cancer Legal and Administrative Burden Support)
One clear message from our clients in our comprehensive 2023 survey (read more, below) was the need to learn about Cancer Legal Care earlier in their cancer journey, preferably at the time of diagnosis or at the start of treatment.
In spring 2024, we began putting this learning into action with a pilot study on the impact of an early legal care intervention and COLLABS was born. This pilot was possible thanks to the efforts of Arjun Gupta, MBBS, and his team at the University of Minnesota, and funding from the Minnesota Colon Cancer Research Foundation. The study, providing a "Legal Care Checkup" for newly diagnosed colon cancer patients as part of their standard treatment plan, concluded in early 2025.
LEGACY CARE (LEgal Guidance and AdvocaCY for CAREgivers)
The success of COLLABS has led to the LEGACY study, working together with a newly diagnosed colon cancer patient and their caregiver as pair to learn more about the issues caregivers are facing and support them as they support their loved one. This work began in late September 2025 and will continue through the early part of 2026.
The Cookout
With funding from the American Cancer Society, in 2025, Cancer Legal Care joined forces with LaShaune Johnson, PhD, a three time cancer survivor, to better understand Black family breast cancer journeys. In our ongoing efforts to be more inclusive in our work, these exploratory conversations helped us learn more about the lived experiences of Black families and communities.
Client Survey in Partnership with University of Minnesota
Cancer Legal Care was fortunate to receive funding in 2023 from the Shavlik Family Foundation to work with our clients and Helen Parsons, PhD, MPH and her team at the University of Minnesota, to conduct a comprehensive client survey as we plan for the years ahead.
Specifically, we were eager to learn:
- what was and wasn't working with our process of providing legal services,
- how effective our services are at answering their questions and helping to resolve their legal issues,
- barriers they faced in accessing legal services,
- their experience with cancer's financial toxicity,
- and their confidence in applying for Social Security disability benefits.
Addressing Cancer's Financial Toxicity
How Access to Free Legal Care Helps to Overcome Barriers to Minnesota Cancer Patients Caused by Health Insurance and Provider Billing Issues
In 2023, Cancer Legal Care prepared a white paper to detail the impact legal care has on reducing risk for our clients' financial toxicity by way of representation in complicated health insurance denials for cancer treatment.
