Practical Issues of Survivorship

> 2006 Participants
> 2005 Participants

2006 Participants

The Nebraska Indian Community College (2006) $10,000 grant over one year
“Spirit of Strength Cancer Survivorship Action Plan”
Currently the Omaha and Santee Sioux Native American communities are not being served in the area of cancer survivorship.  The Nebraska Indian Community College is using LAF funding to develop a strategic plan for cancer survivorship for the underserved Omaha and Santee tribes and to create collaborations between the tribal community and regional organizations. In addition, holding community dinners for tribal community members will be a culturally appropriate and effective way to increase awareness of cancer survivorship issues.

Cancer Legal Resource Center (2006) $50,000 grant over two years
“Cancer Legal Resource Center’s Legal Services Clinic”
www.disabilityrightslegalcenter.org
The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) at the Disability Rights Legal Center will use the LAF grant to offer underserved communities personal answers to legal questions related to cancer diagnoses. The “Ask the CLRC” program will provide comprehensive on-site, cancer-related legal information at area hospitals, community-based organizations and community places of congregation in southern California.  The CLRC is using creative outreach efforts such as a leave-behind manual for specific resources, telephone consultation for cancer patients who have transportation limitations and services at community places of faith to address religious and ethnic barriers.

Arlington Free Clinic (2006) $50,000 grant over two years
The Arlington Free Clinic (AFC) is the only facility providing free comprehensive medical care for the uninsured, primarily immigrant population in Arlington, Virginia.  With funding from LAF, the AFC will implement a patient navigation program to address practical issues of cancer survivorship including language and culture, short- and long-term financial concerns, social support and disease and lifestyle education.

Cancer Services of New Mexico (2006) $10,000 grant over one year
“Legal, Insurance, and Paperwork Assistance (LIPA) Program”
www.CancerServicesNM.org
Cancer Services of New Mexico is an independent, volunteer-led, charitable organization that focuses on reducing cancer suffering in New Mexico.  With funding from LAF, this organization developed the “Legal, Insurance, and Paperwork Assistance” (LIPA) program to develop a plan for helping survivors in New Mexico navigate the legal, insurance and paperwork issues associated with a cancer diagnosis.  The LIPA program will also share tools and expertise with other New Mexican organizations that are developing patient navigation programs to avoid duplication of services and better program coordination.

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital (2006) $10,000 grant over one year
“Learning to Survive”
www.sbamh.com
El Dorado, Kansas is home to the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital Cancer Center which offers state-of-the-art, comprehensive cancer treatment including oncology chemotherapy and radiation services to rural, underserved patients.  With funding from the LAF, the patient navigation program, “Learning to Survive” program has been created. This program will result in a patient navigation program that will support cancer survivors in accessing and coordinating resources needed to live with, though and beyond their cancer diagnosis and treatment. The “Learning to Survive” program will help those who are disadvantaged, have difficulty obtaining adequate cancer treatment and support because of low socioeconomic, financial, transportation or educational barriers.

Iowa Department of Public Health (2006) $10,000 grant over one year
“Iowa Cancer Network for Follow-Up Care and Support”
www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/comp_cancer_control.asp
The Iowa Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (ICCCP) provides leadership and coordination of the state’s cancer prevention and control efforts in collaboration with an array of partner agencies and organizations from across the state.  The Iowa Cancer Network for Follow-up Care & Support will use funding from LAF to create a network of cancer treatment facilities, resource centers and other organizations serving cancer survivors to improve follow-up care and support. This network will help assess current survivorship efforts, identify gaps in services and programs and create a plan to address those gaps.

Life With Cancer® at Inova Health System (2006) $10,000 grant over one year
“Life With Cancer®”
www.lifewithcancer.org
Since its inception 18 years ago, Life with Cancer has established a reputation as a leading provider of comprehensive education and support services to people with cancer, their families and loved ones living in the communities of northern Virginia. Funding through the LAF will help serve the needs of young adult cancer survivors through an online patient navigator program called “My Navigator”. This planning grant will increase understanding of how information technology can be used to improve health and quality of life for the individual user by addressing individuals’ diagnoses and treatment experiences in ways that will help them navigate the complexities of the healthcare system on a real time basis.

The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (2006) $50,000 grant over two years
The African American Cancer Program (AACP) of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute works to raise awareness of cancer programs within the local African American communities to eliminate or reduce barriers to services.  Their LAF grant will promote dialogue about the sensitive issues of pain management, palliative care and advance care planning among palliative care providers, African American cancer survivors and community organizations. This project will complement the existing activities of support groups and creates a forum for difficult to discuss issues between African American cancer survivors and local palliative care providers.

2005 Participants

Cancer Legal Line From Plan to Action: Creating an Outreach Plan to Empower, Inform and Educate all Cancer Survivors in Minnesota about the Legal Issues that may arise due to their Cancer Diagnosis
Cancer Legal Line - Saint Paul, Minnesota
The mission of Cancer Legal Line (CALL) is to alleviate the non-medical stress of cancer survivors by educating them and providing them with legal information, resources and referrals so that they may focus their energies on recovery.  The plan specifically addresses long-term survivorship issues after treatment has ended. The goal of the plan is to become a one-stop shop for all legal issues facing cancer survivors in Minnesota and eventually in the entire Upper Midwest.  Additionally, by partnering with local law schools, a new crop of lawyers will be trained to recognize these issues and prepared to help.  Once created, the program could very easily be replicated in other communities throughout the country.

Evaluating the Impact of Cancer Survivors Conference on the Quality of Life of the Newly Diagnosed and Long-Term Survivors
American Cancer Society - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
www.cancer.org
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. For seventeen years, the Cancer Survivors Conference has provided survivors from more than twenty counties in three states with medical, practical, and emotional information and support in non-technical language. The program will now conduct a comprehensive evaluation to assess the impact of the practical support offered by the conference for the newly diagnosed and long-term survivors. The results will enhance their ability to provide effective support to all survivors and will be shared with area hospitals.

Patient Navigator Program
Richardson Regional Medical Center Foundation, Inc. - Richardson, Texas
www.RichardsonRegional.com
The mission of the Richardson Regional Cancer Center (RRCC) is to improve survivors' quality of life through education, advanced treatment and support services.  Patients often feel overwhelmed by interaction with many different medical professionals, confused about their primary contact and unable to assimilate information critical to decision-making. A patient navigator can assist patients in communicating with their team of physicians and assist in finding and evaluating resources. Funding from the LAF will fund planning to help structure the proposed Patient Navigator Program. Issues that will be addressed include determining whether the navigator position should be clinical and/or social-service oriented, defining the navigator's duties and responsibilities, and identifying proposed outcomes, patient benefits and tools for measuring outcomes. Patient feedback will be gathered and evaluated regarding patient expectations and needs. Site visits to existing patient navigator programs will help to identify optimal operational structure and avoid known common obstacles and challenges.

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