In 2025, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana experienced a remarkable year full of new opportunities for growth.
A new collaboration with Neighborhood Health increased access to client advocacy, movement, and educational programs for individuals living in Southeast Fort Wayne. We also expanded our ability to serve Spanish-speaking clients, made possible through the expertise and dedication of our team members.
You’ll hear more about these and other changes as you read on.
This year also concluded with an important leadership transition. After 23 years of dedicated service, Dianne May retired, leaving a lasting legacy at Cancer Services. In December, we were excited to welcome Mary Shankster as our new leader and begin the next chapter of our organization’s journey.
None of these accomplishments would be possible without your generous support. Because of your commitment to our mission, Cancer Services can serve more than 5,000 individuals each year with programs, resources, and compassionate care.
Thank you for making our mission possible and for helping us continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by cancer.
Diane Calinski
2025 Board Chair
Mary Shankster
President & CEO
How You Helped Local Families
Without you, there would be thousands of families facing cancer alone. Your love and generosity gave local families practical items, financial help, emotional support, and most important of all, hope. Look at all that you made possible in 2025!
Do you want to see how you helped your closest neighbors?
Click the links below to see information specific to the county where you live.
Looking Back at the Highlights of 2025
For Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, 2025 was a big year of change! Read just a few highlights below…
The End of a Legacy and the Start of a New Chapter
In 2025, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana celebrated long-time President & CEO Dianne May, who had served as our top executive for 23 years, when she retired at the end of the year.
When announcing her retirement, Dianne shared, “Serving as the President and CEO of Cancer Services has been a privilege and the highlight of my professional career. I am honored by the trust donors, clients, and the CSNI board have placed in me.”
Dianne’s illustrious career and dedication to the mission left Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana with a solid reputation in the community and strong financial standing. The incoming President & CEO would have a sturdy foundation upon which to build greater community impact and resources for families facing cancer.
Following an extensive regional search, the Board of Directors announced their selection of Mary Shankster as the next President & CEO. Most recently, Mary served as the Chief Development Officer at Stillwater Hospice. She began her tenure on December 1.
“As I take on this role, I do so with deep respect for the leadership that has come before me,” Mary commented during the announcement of her new position. “Together with our dedicated team, volunteers, supporters, and partners, I look forward to continuing this vital work and ensuring that no one faces cancer alone.”
Dianne with her husband Tom and son Stephen. Her years of service were recognized and celebrated at the 2025 Tribute Dinner.
A brick installed at Cancer Services in honor of Dianne’s leadership.
Better Together: A Partnership between Cancer Services and Neighborhood Health
In August, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana and Neighborhood Health began a partnership allowing our staff and facilitators to offer classes, programs, and advocacy within their Oxford clinic in the newly renovated Ward Elementary School.
Services provided at Neighborhood Health Oxford include one-on-one assistance from a Client Advocate, adaptive exercise classes, educational sessions, and support community meet-ups.
The partnership was born from Cancer Services’ and Neighborhood Health’s commitment to Southeast Fort Wayne and ensuring that supportive services are easily accessible to people with cancer, survivors, caregivers, and families in the area. Since 2021, Cancer Services has operated a second location in Southeast Fort Wayne.
During weekly Chair Yoga sessions, facilitator Jenny guides attendees through a body awareness exercise and then multiple yoga poses while sitting in or standing by their chair. For people with cancer, practicing yoga can calm anxiety and stress, reduce inflammation, help with lymphedema, and assist in managing pain and neuropathy.
Every Monday, Celeste teaches Tai Chi and Qigong. Participants flow through movements including Overhead Rainbow, Releasing the Dove, and Snake Creeps through the Grass. Practicing Tai Chi can help with many common side effects of cancer and treatment including stress and anxiety, brain fog, fatigue, digestive problems, and pain.
One Less Barrier: Medical Interpretation for Spanish Speakers
Cancer Services became better equipped to help people with cancer who speak Spanish as their primary language. Client Advocate Eva Vega attended and successfully graduated from the Bridging the Gap medical interpreter training provided by Language Services Network. A scholarship from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation covered the assessment and tuition fees.
Eva was already fluent in English and Spanish, and even without formal training she was a wonderful help to Spanish-speaking clients and her colleagues. The medical interpreter training equipped her to help Spanish-speaking clients better understand their cancer treatment and follow-up. Reducing the strain of a language barrier helps with stress and increases their ability to follow through on appointments and treatments to address their cancer.
All Client Advocates know how to help families who speak English as a second language, but the language barrier can be most difficult when discussing medical topics like cancer.
In 2025, Eva supported 19 people who primarily speak Spanish during 54 interactions with Cancer Services to address a cancer-related need.
Lymphedema Relief through Massage
In the spring, Cancer Services launched a new massage program targeting the symptoms of lymphedema, a common side effect of cancer and its treatments. Lymphatic drainage massage is designed to route excess lymph back into the lymph nodes, which helps ease uncomfortable swelling. The program has proven to be extremely popular; 130 sessions were provided in 2025.
Dr. Courtney Sproat, PT, DPT, CLT generously donates her time and expertise to provide this much-needed service to people with cancer and survivors.
The feedback from clients who enjoy these massages is absolutely glowing:
- SO thankful for this service that I wouldn’t otherwise have access to. I already feel better to know it will just continue. Thankful for each of you & the role you’ve played in my cancer journey!
- SO thankful for the lymphatic massage. I already feel/notice a huge difference. THANK YOU so much for this wonderful service/opportunity. I learned so much too which is extremely helpful!
- Wonderful as always! SO very thankful for this opportunity. It’s always a treat! I feel so much better physically, mentally, & emotionally. Walking away feeling encouraged!
Dr. Courtney Sproat, PT, DPT, CLT, helped Cancer Services launch a new massage program to help relieve lymphedema. Wonderful donors like you make it possible to offer new services to help people with cancer find comfort and relief.
Thank You to Our Generous Donors
Thank you, also, to the donors who make significant gifts to help people with cancer. Your gifts are ensuring that no one in your community walks their cancer journey alone.
Cancer Services would like to recognize the top individuals, businesses, and foundations who make significant gifts supporting our shared mission. Click here to celebrate our top donors with us.
2025 Income & Expenses
Income
Expenses
![Budget distribution pie: Program Services $1,923,364 (largest blue slice), Development $482,239 (orange), Management $174,968 (gray] .](https://cancer-services.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Expenses-Chart-scaled.webp "Expenses Chart")
Program Services
This chart reflects a more specific breakdown of the Program Services section of the
Expenses chart (totaling $1,923,364).
