Free legal help for Massey patients

When a person is diagnosed with cancer, other concerns in their life do not go away. Instead, these issues can become more challenging and affect a patient’s ability to focus on health and healing.

To ease the burden of cancer and help patients focus on their health, VCU Massey Cancer Center has teamed up with lawyers to offer VCU Massey Cancer Center patients access to free legal advice and counseling. If you have legal problems, the Richmond Cancer Advocacy Team (RCAT) may be able to find a lawyer to help you at no cost.

The types of issues we can help you with include:

• problems with your job or with claiming unemployment benefits. 
• help applying for public benefits or appealing a denial (Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security Disability, veteran’s benefits, food stamps, TANF and WIC). 
• housing problems, including trouble with a landlord, foreclosure, eviction, poor conditions, and the like.
• problems with debt or bill collectors. 
• help with family concerns like child custody, abuse and child support. 
• assistance with making or updating a will or power of attorney.
• help with financial planning. 

If you would like to talk to a lawyer for free about one of these issues, contact the Richmond Cancer Advocacy Team (RCAT) at VCU Massey Cancer Center.Referral to RCAT is completely voluntary, confidential and free.

If you would like to speak with an RCAT advocate, you can:
• ask your doctor, nurse or hospital social worker to refer you to RCAT;
• visit an RCAT team member at the cancer center, room room G-064, during office hours on Tuesdays and Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; or
• call Massey clinical research social worker Connie Macaluso, LCSW, at 804-628-2106.

RCAT is staffed by VCU Massey Cancer Center, LINC, the Legal Aid Justice Center and Central Virginia Legal Aid Society.