We are pleased to announce that the beneficiary
of the 2011-2014 three-year grant is
GYN Cancer Navigator
More than 80,000 GYN cancers will be diagnosed this year and more than 27,000 women will die from one of these cancers. Gynecological cancers can involve the cervix, uterus, ovaries, vagina or vulva. While all cancers are devastating and can be life changing, GYN cancers pose unique challenges. Women who need help coping with these diseases often do not find the support available to patients suffering from other forms of cancer. Studies indicate that oncology navigation programs reduce barriers to care: lack of or inadequate insurance, transportation difficulties, cultural beliefs regarding treatment, difficulty communicating desires/needs, fragmentation of care and delay or refusal of care. Further, studies document improvement in quality of life during treatment for patients with navigator assistance as well as fewer days in the hospital during active treatment.
The Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center created the first nurse navigator program in North Carolina and one of the first in the country. Recognized nationally as a leader in patient navigation, it now has eight navigators serving patients with breast, lung, gastrointestinal, thoracic, neurological and prostate cancers. It is anticipated that one GYN nurse navigator can support care of approximately 200 new cancer patients each year in addition to patients undergoing care for GYN cancer now, or between 300-400 patients annually. The Cancer Center conservatively estimates the navigator can reach 500 women through community educational opportunities. The dedicated GYN nurse navigator will:
§ Follow patients from diagnosis through the completion of treatment and beyond
§ Providing information about the specific cancer diagnosis and treatment plan
§ Helping overcome hurdles to make the journey less complicated
§ Answering questions throughout the treatment process
§ Lending support and encouragement with physical, spiritual and psychological needs during and after illness
§ Linking to additional community information and resources
§ Increase awareness of GYN cancers throughout our community, educating women of signs and symptoms and the need for screenings
§ Assess community needs through a gap analysis
§ Develop a survivorship program for GYN oncology patients
Women's Council members have voted to make a grant of $65,000 a year for three years (total: $195,000) to fund this program. The Cancer Center will sustain this position post-grant through budget support and Athena's Run, a walk/run for GYN cancers.
_________
We are pleased to announce that the first beneficiary
of a 2011 single-year grant is
Girls on the Run
The Girls on the Run program offers 8-to-11 year old girls a way to improve self-esteem, health habits and their chances for a lifetime of healthy living while learning to run. For 12 weeks, girls attend a one-hour, after-school session during which they clarify their values, explore ways to improve peer and family relationships, begin to think of themselves as a part of a larger community and world and train for and participate in a 5K event. Girls on the Run targets this age group because studies in effective education indicate that the pre-adolescent child is more likely to be open to changing existing attitudes and habits than an adolescent or teenager. Since the Sara Lee Center for Women's Health started Girls on the Run, it has sought to include culturally and socio-economically diverse girls.
To that end, the Center will start a program at Kimberly Park Elementary, an equity plus school, during the 2011 – 2012 school year. It is anticipated that all girls participating will need financial support. The Women's Council is donating $5,250 to provide approximately 30 Kimberly Park girls scholarships as well as such items as running shoes or clothing that these girls will not have.
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We are pleased to announce that the second beneficiary
of a 2011 single-year grant is
Feel Good Friday
On the first Friday of each month, cancer patients and survivors meet at the Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center to enjoy Feel Good Friday, a support event started by a volunteer approximately 5 years ago. Women undergoing cancer treatments are treated at no cost to mini spa services, such as massage, Reiki, manicures and hair cuts. These pampering services help reduce anxiety, enhance coping skills, encourage relaxation and provide social and networking opportunities for women sharing similar experiences. Approximately 100 women attend month after month, even after beating cancer. The Cancer Center seeks to expand Feel Good Friday programming specifically for women who have overcome cancer by enhancing an event they enjoy to bridge them into new ways of thinking about and managing post-treatment health-care needs. Topics and activities will complement existing services and include nutrition counselors and guest speakers on topics that concern survivors. In addition, each survivor will work with staff to create an individualized care plan. The Women's Council is donating $7,500 to provide partial salary support to expand a staff position to add programs to Feel Good Friday and create survivor's individualized care plans, enhancing transition from treatment to survivorship for approximately 50 women each year
Forsyth Medical Center Domestic & Sexual Assault Program
Forsyth Medical Center launched the state's first sexual assault nurse examiner program in 1996. It remains the only one providing 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week specialized care and assessment. In a carefully designed, secluded area of the Emergency Department, highly trained nurses gently and sensitively examine victims and collect critical evidence required to convict assailants. Equally important is assisting these victims and those of domestic violence as they prepare to go home or to a safe environment.
Approximately 200 victims of sexual assault or domestic violence were treated at FMC in 2009. Clothing (theirs is kept as evidence), personal toiletries, a meal, a place to stay the night and transportation assistance are among the needs of these women, most of whom arrive during the night. The Women's Council is donating $7,500 to create a Fund for Abuse and Assault Victims to cover the costs of replacement clothing and emergency needs for these victims.
Navigating Frail Senior Women from Hospital to Home
In May 2009, Forsyth Medical Center launched a new program to help address the high risks of post-discharge health complications and high rates of hospital readmissions among frail elderly patients. A patient navigator assesses the patient's condition, needs, support system and living situation and designs a custom plan of home-based services to ensure a successful recovery and transition from hospital to home. Last year, 70 of the nearly100 frail seniors (65 and older) served were women. This program has reduced their need to return to the hospital by 53 percent.
Recognized statewide as a model initiative, this home-based support program addresses care gaps while these patients are on waiting lists for community services or while arrangements for family and friends' support are put in place. Transition services are available for up to four months and include transportation to medical and pharmacy visits, grocery shopping, light cooking and/or housework. The Women's Council is donating $10,000 to provide these services for at least 50 frail senior women.