About Cancer Sherpa

Clare Matschullat founded Cancer Sherpa because cancer, like any challenging life journey, is not meant to be traveled alone. Few great expeditions in recorded history were charted, navigated, trekked, or completed alone. Even NASA astronauts call Houston when they have a problem.

Cancer Sherpa provides case-based consulting for cancer patients and their families. Our primary focus is cancer patients seeking second opinions, selecting between specialty hospitals or programs, evaluating different treatment and trial protocols, and those who need help navigating the financial and legal questions that arise during their illness. We specialize in organizing individual and familial psychological services and locating support groups for patients and their caregivers. We offer an extensive network of supplemental healthcare services such as nutrition, training, and pain management, to name a few. Cancer Sherpa also assists families in acquiring at-home specialty and palliative care. Additionally, inspired by our founder’s journey and lifelong work with children, we specialize in working with pediatric cancer patient families to facilitate any and every aspect of their child’s diagnosis and treatment.

Cancer Sherpa is here to serve all cancer patients and their families. We encourage anyone visiting our site to fully utilize all of our site’s free resources and services located in our blog.

Meet Clare

Clare Matschullat is a cancer survivor and the Founder and CEO of Cancer Sherpa. Over 25 years ago, Clare was a teenager when she was first diagnosed with cancer and found herself fighting for both her independence and life. Several years later, in remission and a sophomore at Duke University, Clare received a phone call from the frantic aunt of a classmate who had just been diagnosed with cancer. Panicking, she said, “Jennifer said to call you because you’d know what to do.” That day Clare became the Cancer Sherpa.

In the eighteen years since that dorm room phone call, Clare has helped family, friends, colleagues, and clients navigate the endless complexities and frustrations of the American healthcare system. Now Clare and her team of healthcare professionals do this full-time for anyone who needs their help. While Clare’s network of hospitals and medical professionals was born from her personal cancer journey, professionally, she has experience in medical research, biotechnology, and fundraising across public and private healthcare sectors. She received her BA in Political Science and African Studies from Duke University and completed her certificate in premedical studies at Columbia University. Clare also worked in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health while pursuing her Masters.

In addition to working with cancer patients, their families, and extended care teams, Clare sits on the Children’s Board at Columbia, which she co-founded at Columbia University. Clare serves as the board chair of The Holy Family Day Home in San Francisco, California. Since 1999, Clare has been an active volunteer at Paul Newman’s Hole In The Wall Gang Camp for seriously and terminally ill children, where she was once a camper. Clare is committed to education and loves supporting Duke University as an Alumni interviewer.