Circle of Hope Cancer Support Center published its October 2026 calendar, giving cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and loved ones a free month of classes, support groups and therapies. The schedule starts on Thursday, October 1, and runs through Wednesday, October 21, with some sessions open and others by appointment only.
The Wellness Center says all of its classes, programs and therapies are free of charge. That makes the October 2026 calendar more than a list of dates: it is the month’s access point for people looking for support in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Asha Blanchard leads October sessions
Founder Asha Blanchard appears in two appointment-only offerings, Structured Effective Venting on Tuesday, October 6 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm and again on Thursday, October 8 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm. She also leads Mood Recipe™ Session 1 on Tuesday, October 13 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm by appointment only. For readers choosing between the free calendar options, that distinction matters: some activities can be joined directly, while these require a scheduled slot.
The month opens with Skin Care for Cancer Warriors with Kathleen McGraw, Esthetician from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on Thursday, October 1, followed by The Meditative Art of Jewelry Making with Holly Feneht from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Early in the month, Board Game Monday! runs on Monday, October 5 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, and Book Club with Pam Ripling meets from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Free classes, Zoom support and appointments
Several October sessions stay open without an appointment, including Peer-led Support Group with Colleen Shaffer on Tuesday, October 6 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm via Zoom and in person. The same pattern returns on Tuesday, October 20, when the group meets again from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Creative Expressions Group with Mary Petersen is offered on Monday, October 12 from 4:30pm to 5:30pm on Zoom, while Gentle Yoga with Terry Wankle, Move & Groove: Introduction to Line Dance! with Danise Davis and Learn to Watercolor Paint with Qiana Tarlow fill Tuesday, October 13.
The calendar also mixes one-off therapies with set class times. Essential Oil Touch with Leigh Ann Stiglich is offered by appointment only on Wednesday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 20 at 1:30pm, 2:10pm and 2:50pm. Healing Touch appears twice in the month too: Karen Nelson leads appointment-only sessions on Monday, October 19 at 1:00pm and 2:00pm, and Terry Goldwater offers the therapy on Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00am, 12:00pm and 1:00pm. Group Healing is listed as a new class that day.
October 21 closes the schedule
By simple count, the calendar lists 21 October sessions across classes, groups and therapies, not counting the repeated appointment times inside some appointment-only offerings. That gives readers a clear picture of the month’s size: a steady schedule with several open groups, plus a smaller set of sessions that require planning ahead. The free programming continues through Wednesday, October 21, ending with a mix of Healing Touch and Group Healing for people who want to stay connected after a cancer diagnosis or during caregiving.
