Cancer survivorship center opens in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS (KTRK) -- It's a morning yoga class unlike most for cancer patients and survivors, provided by Memorial Hermann The Woodlands at the county's first cancer survivorship center called Canopy.

"It doesn't feel like you're going into a hospital, it feels like a place where people can go in and talk to each other," Cheryl Cerri-Llamas, a cancer survivor said.

She has survived the disease four times.

"Women need this, and men too. Because, it's hard to talk about with your family, because you don't want them to worry about you," Cerri-Llamas said.

With that in mind, Canopy has a kitchen and places for loved ones to visit and play. It has a fitting room for wigs and prosthetic bras and amenities like yoga classes.

"It's really a respite," said Josh Urban, CEO of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands. "It's where they begin to elevate life above cancer," he said.

The location touts a variety of services, including the assistance of people like Carolyn Allsen, an oncology nurse navigator who helps patients through the treatment process.

"A lot of the support programs here at Canopy are geared towards patients being able to take control," said Allsen.

It's a good feeling, the kind of feeling that gives survivors like Cheryl hope.

"Here you can open up. "You can laugh about it and everything, because you're all in the same boat," she said.

For more information: TheWoodslandsCanopy.org