2011 Spirit of Collaboration Award Winners
Every year since 2001, the Michigan Cancer Consortium has presented its highest honor — the MCC Spirit of Collaboration Award — to member organizations that have done outstanding collaborative work to significantly move comprehensive cancer control activities forward in our state. During the 2011 MCC Annual Meeting, the following organizations were presented with 2011 MCC Spirit of Collaboration awards in recognition of their exceptional work leading collaborative efforts on behalf of the MCC and comprehensive cancer control in Michigan.
American Cancer Society Body & Soul Blue Challenge
Addressing: Healthy Lifestyles
Project description: This 10-week program specifically focused on the faith community in
Detroit (Southeast Michigan) through the American Cancer Society (ACS) Body & Soul Program. African Americans are disproportionately affected by cancer and other chronic diseases. Changes in lifestyle can reduce these risks. The goal is to reduce health disparities associated with cancer and other chronic diseases by encouraging physical activity and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. The incentive for getting churches physically involved was the BCBSA Walking Works tool that calculated individual and church activity as teams. Bonus program activities were provided by ACS and, as a result, more than 750 participants from 13 churches were enrolled and logged 81,000 walking miles.
Churches were trained on ACS programs, such as Cancer Information, the use of their #800 and cancer resources, Choose You, and Tell A Friend (TAF) as bonus points. Each church completed health assessments with their participants, administered by their church's registered nurse. Blood pressure, BMI and weight were taken along with a short questionnaire. All of the churches participated with this aspect of the program. Churches did put the ACS 800# in their church bulletins, bulletins boards, resource tables, and shared the information with their pastors. Several people were diagnosed during this challenge and praised the help they received from that resource. Over 150 women were touched by TAF calls and they are still being received. The mid-event program took place at the Detroit Eastern Market, where churches were invited to earn walking points as they strolled through the market. There was also a demonstration with a BCBSM dietitian as to how to make fruit smoothies and vegetable shish kabobs. A fitness trainer was also on-site coaching the attendees through more physical activities. The final group activity was at the Detroit Relay for Life, where walkers could log their final miles during the RFL event. This event was well attended by all churches and fun was had by all. The most significant occurrence was with the bi-weekly check-in calls that keep the group cohesive and connected with the many steps of the program. The health ministry coordinators made the connection between spirituality and health with closing prayers for the successful progression of the event and and the continued health of the participants. The group continues to share resources and activities with one another.
Churches included: Abundant Life Tabernacle C.O.G.I.C., Berea Lutheran Church, God Land Unity Church, Hartford Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, New St Peter Baptist Church, Second Baptist of Detroit, Burns Seventh Day of Adventist, Shekinah Tabernacle Gospel Church, Shield of Faith International Ministries, New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, and Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.
Wayne State School of Nursing: Students from the nursing school helped develop the health assessment survey. They were also available to fill in with the assessment process implement in at churches that did not have a nurse on site.
Detroit Area NAACP: Endorsed the program with their membership and sent invites to all participating churches.
American Cancer Society: Provided program guidance, support and churches for the intervention.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: Partnered with ACS to implement the program and provided incentives and the use of their Walking Works program.
Media support: American Cancer Society Communication and Blue Cross Blue Shield Communication Departments; Articles about the success of the program have been featured in the Michigan Chronicle, Diversity Inc and Healthy Living magazines. A short film about the culmination event, which featured more than 15 health-related vendors and services along with a physician-led panel on health topics, is on www.ahealthiermichigan.org.
Great Lakes Cancer Institute — Colorectal Cancer Screening Task Force
Addressing: Colorectal Cancer
Project description: The Colorectal Cancer Screening Program was started by McLaren Regional
Medical Center in Flint, to provide in-home fecal occult blood testing
(FOBT) kits to residents in Genesee County. It has expanded over time and now serves 46 counties across Michigan. The GLCI Colorectal Cancer Program runs annually during the month of March in observance of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. GLCI registered over 3,500 patients for the Colorectal Cancer Screening program in 2010.
Over the past several years, the program’s return rate of FOBT kits has improved. Additionally, it was calculated that of the 48 positive results identified in 2010, 56 percent did not have the recommended follow-up testing. This information spearheaded program changes for 2011 with educational information changes, motivational impact analysis, and data collection being currently collected.
The GLCI’s Colorectal Cancer Screening Task Force Committee reviews annual participation statistics and identifies areas of concern warranting process improvement initiatives. Improvements have been made in registration systems and the adaptation of a 24-hour online registration access. Concerns were also noted that despite receipt of positive test results and encouragement from clinical representatives for patients with positive results from the FOBT program to seek physician follow-up, many physicians were not recommending colonoscopy or other diagnostic testing per the recommended Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and American Cancer Society (ACS) colorectal cancer screening guidelines. Therefore, changes were made to the kit instructions, result reporting, and means of patient follow-up in an effort to improve the rate of adherence to nationally recommended guidelines.
Great Lakes Cancer Institute Patient Connect in Collaboration with the American Cancer Society Patient Referral Form
Addressing: Cancer Survivorship
Project description: Approximately three years ago, the American Cancer Society (ACS) created a
patient referral form to be used within health care systems to offer ACS
evidence-based cancer information, free ACS programs, community
resources, and services. Great Lakes Cancer Institute saw value in this
referral form and immediately implemented it into their patient
registration routine. Not long after, they became the most successful referral site in the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division (referring 30 percent of their cancer patients within the first year).
With the success of this process came the second part of the collaboration — the Patient Connect DVD project. This project, spearheaded by Great Lakes Cancer Institute, was designed to create DVDs specific to each cancer patient's diagnosis (top four: breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal), treatment center, doctors, nurses, and treatment plan. The American Cancer Society believed this to be a valuable resource and became a collaborating partner to this program by fulfilling and mailing the DVD requests, as well as providing the evidence-based cancer information.
During fiscal year 2009 (10/1/08-9/31/09), 59 Patient Connect DVDs were fulfilled and FY10 wasn’t showing much growth. With the American Cancer Society’s successful referral program already in place within numerous GLCI sites, it was a perfect opportunity to combine efforts. Last summer (June 2010), it was agreed to use one form (the ACS referral form) for both programs.
October 2010 thru June 30, 2011, the collaboration has proven to be quite successful. In this timeframe, the GLCI Patient Connect fulfilled DVDs for 200 patients from seven different health systems; up 81 patients from their previous fiscal year total (10/1/09-9/31/10). September 2010 thru June 30, 2011, close to 1,000 patients received one or more services from the American Cancer Society; up by 200 patients.
This partnership has led to significant achievements considering the short implementation time and it is expected that many more patients will benefit from it in the future.
Josephine Ford Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration Project
Addressing: Cancer Survivorship, Healthy Lifestyles
Project description: In 2006, the Josephine Ford Cancer Center, in partnership with Centers
for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) and community agencies, launched a
four-year demonstration project involving the Detroit Metropolitan
area’s African American Medicare population. The goals of the project were to design a navigation model that would increase adherence to cancer screening rates and improve follow-up and treatment of patients with cancer.
More than 5,800 African-American seniors from the Tri-County Area were enrolled in the project. As a result of the navigation arm of the demonstration project, over 3,500 African-Americans received screening exams. Also, it was observed that seniors did not know how to access and use the health care system and often were confused about how long they should be pursing cancer screenings as they age. Many seniors believed that with retirement, they should not pursue preventive health screenings; they were of the mindset of only pursing diagnostic work-ups. Should symptoms occur, seniors, especially those with multiple co-morbid conditions, were challenged by a dearth of resources, including timely appointments and transportation, as well as understanding and filling prescriptions. Transportation resources were critical for seniors attempting to maintain a healthy lifestyle in their older years. Seniors need a medical home for efficient and effective care; seniors who did not have a "medical home" were more likely to have health care gaps and receive inadequate care and. Detroit seniors would benefit greatly from a coordination of senior community partners, advocating for and working in concert to shape a health care network to efficiently and effectively address the health care needs of the urban aged.
Throughout this project, the Josephine Ford Cancer Center Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration Project (CPTD) partnered with more than 100 social, governmental and senior services agencies to promote cancer prevention through healthy lifestyles and improved compliance with cancer screenings. The ultimate achievement was the increased awareness within the communities of optimal practice regarding cancer prevention and screening, and the successful promotion of early diagnosis and treatment.
Kin Keeper Cancer Prevention Intervention
Addressing: Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer
Project description: The Kin Keeper Cancer Prevention Intervention is a cancer education
intervention that is community-based and female family-focused. Based on
the premise that the natural ways African American women communicate
health messages to women in their families (mother, grandmother, sister,
daughter, and aunt) can be used to influence them to engage in cancer
prevention and screening behaviors. The Kin Keeper model has expanded to
include other medically underserved women, such as Latinas and Arab
Americans, with all instruments and materials being culturally and
linguistically translated in Spanish and Arabic.
The kin keeper agrees to assemble her adult female family together at her home for two home education sessions. Thus, the Kin Keeper Cancer Prevention Intervention provides a vehicle for underserved women to learn about breast and cervical cancer prevention and early screening detection. The education is delivered by a trusted person (a community health worker who is from the same racial/ethnic group) in a non-threatening environment, like the home, and to people who share a common bond (adult female family members). Each woman develops an individual personal action plan that assists her in setting breast and cervical cancer screening goals. Community health workers follow up with each individual family member to see if they have accomplished their goals. This fruitful university and community collaboration has resulted in personal cancer prevention and control education delivered to more than 1,100 women, increased funds for screening low-income women, 10 publications and presentations, the development of cancer literacy assessment instruments and research funding: 3 grants from Komen for the Cure and; 2 National Institutes of Health grants.
The Michigan Smoke-Free Apartment Initiative
Addressing: Tobacco Control/Lung Cancer
Project description: Since the start of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Smoke-Free Housing Project in Michigan in
March of 2010, The Center for Social Gerontology’s Smoke-Free Environments Law Project (SFELP) and the other collaborators have
contributed to an increase in the number of smoke-free public housing
commissions from 34 to 56, including the three largest in Michigan
(Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing), an increase in the number of
commercial tobacco-free tribal housing authority policies from 0 to 6,
and an increase in the number of units of smoke-free affordable housing
properties available by over 12,000 units. As a result, an estimated
40,000 people are now covered by smoke-free public and affordable
housing in Michigan that were not previously covered before the ARRA
project. Hundreds of new smoke-free properties are now available to low-income and tribal residents in Michigan.
Media efforts resulted in 7,299
general smoke-free housing television, radio and print ads run since
March 1, 2010, and 4,632 tribal-specific commercial tobacco smoke-free
housing ads run during this same time period. SFELP and other partners
have presented at a large number of landlord meetings, property
management association meetings and conferences, seminars and other
property-specific presentations, and tenant surveys have been conducted
assisting landlords in moving their property to smoke-free status.
Partners make regular referrals to SFELP for legal assistance and expert
direction, and SFELP in return puts property owners and tenants in
touch with local contacts through the various partnerships. This
collaborative relationship is unique and has yielded excellent public
health improvements in housing in Michigan, especially for low-income
residents.
Northwest Michigan Cancer Prevention and Awareness Coalition
Addressing: Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Colorectal Cancer
Project description: Since 2007, District Health Department #10 (DHD#10)has been facilitating a
collaborative known as the Northwest Michigan Cancer Prevention and
Awareness Coalition. It was formed to create an alliance of partners
focused on increasing opportunities for cancer-related prevention and
awareness services. In 2009, the group developed a strategic plan,
including the following mission statement: "Organize and promote cancer-related services and prevention opportunities available within our service region (Crawford, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, and Wexford counties)."
The coalition has: developed a resource grid of the partners activities related to cancer education and communication; created a webpage off of the DHD#10 site; explored the development of a Facebook page; engaged in cancer awareness month promotions; offered free community cancer screenings (Crawford, Osceola, and Lake counties).
Uninsured and under insured participants are screened for breast, cervical, skin, and colorectal cancers. Eligible Individuals are referred to existing services (e.g. BCCCP and colorectal cancer screening). Facilities, staff and providers donate their services and resources to the screenings. Local funds are sought and secured to cover supply and lab costs. Participants identified with abnormal screening results are referred back to their providers or into local resources and providers.This coalition represents a huge geographical area (11 counties) from which individuals have committed to increasing access to, and opportunities for, cancer prevention services for the residents in their communities.
Sister & Sister Free Mammogram Program
Addressing: Breast Cancer
Project description: The Sister & Sister Free Mammogram Program, established in 2007 through the POH Riley Foundation, has provided more than 2,000 free mammogram screenings to local women of all races who are uninsured or underinsured, with 20 cancers detected and treated.
In 2009, the Sister & Sister faith-based initiative was adapted from the Witness Project, which has been specifically designed for African-Americans to increase awareness and screening for breast cancer. The Witness Project is a culturally informed, community-based breast education program. It is designed to effectively increase awareness, knowledge, and motivation, thereby increasing screening and early detection behaviors among African-American women and ultimately reducing mortality and morbidity from breast cancer. The program changes previously held attitudes and misconceptions about breast cancer through church-based breast health education programs, using the evidence-based "witnessing" model.
The POH Riley Foundation collaborates with Pontiac area churches with predominately low-income African-American congregations. Breast cancer survivors teach other African-American women about the importance of early detection by "witnessing" or talking about their cancer experiences. The POH Riley Foundation launched the faith-based initiative to increase mammogram screening and breast cancer survival rates among hard-to-reach uninsured and underinsured African-American women in the Pontiac area.
African-American women continue to be less likely than Caucasians to survive 5 years at each stage of cancer diagnosis, often due to diagnosis at a later stage. In addition, between 1985 and 2007, breast cancer incidence in Oakland County women rose by 23 percent, but in African American women by 70 percent.
In the faith-based component of the Sister & Sister program, pre- and post-breast cancer knowledge tests distributed at each session indicate that participants average a 37.7 percent increase in knowledge about breast health, breast cancer, and the importance of early detection.
To date, 516 African-American women have participated in the breast health education sessions. A total of 205 African-American women have received free mammogram screenings at POHRMC. Those in need were navigated to follow-up testing and care, which was also provided free of charge, including cancer surgery. Beginning in October 2011, breast health education sessions will also be presented at Pontiac’s public housing communities and senior centers.
Value Partnerships: Oncology-Focused Collaborative Quality Initiatives (CQIs)
Addressing: Clinical/Cost Database
Project description: BCBSM/BCN has three cancer-focused quality collaboratives that work to
improve the quality of cancer care in Michigan: 1) Michigan Breast Oncology
Quality Initiative (MiBOQI); 2) Improve Oncology Practice Performance
through Participation in the American Society of Clinical Oncology
(ASCO) Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI); and 3) Michigan
Oncology Clinical Treatment Pathways Program (Pathways).
MiBOQI, QOPI, and Pathways were all created to seize opportunities to improve cancer care delivery within the state of Michigan. These three collaboratives work to give cancer patients access to higher-quality care that is consistently delivered within parameters defined by evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Although notable progress has been made in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer, there remains substantial variation in oncology practice. The need to address this variation in oncology care was the main impetus for BCBSM’s creation and/or involvement in MiBOQI, QOPI, and Pathways.
Launched in 2006, Michigan Breast Oncology Quality Initiative (MiBOQI) is the first statewide effort to examine practice patterns in surgical, radiation, and medical oncology to improve breast cancer treatment and outcomes. This CQI is helping Michigan hospitals and associated medical practices compare treatment methods with nationally accepted treatment guidelines. The goals of MiBOQI include the following: reduce the rate of surgical biopsies being performed for diagnosis of breast cancer in Michigan and increase concordance with the NCCN treatment guideline for administration of radiation therapy. One of the goals of MiBOQI is to reduce the rate of surgical biopsies being performed for the diagnosis of breast cancer in Michigan to ≤15 percent. This goal was met in 2010, and surgical biopsy rates continue to fall. Rates of surgical biopsies being performed by participating sites over the years of participation in MiBOQI consistently fell from 2006 to 2010. In 2006, the rate of surgical biopsies was 32 percent. In 2007, this rate dropped below 25 percent, and it was at 20 percent in 2008. By 2010, the rate had dropped to 12 percent at participating sites. The decrease in surgical biopsy rates at participating sites results not only in safer, less invasive biopsy practices for women (such as core needle biopsies rather than surgical biopsies), but also results in a significant savings of time, medical personnel, and health care dollars.
Launched in 2008, Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) is a quality improvement initiative focused on process and safety measures at the oncology practice level. The overall goal of the PGIP QOPI Initiative is to promote high-quality, effective, and cost-efficient care for cancer patients, facilitated by participation in the ASCO Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Health Plan Program. The process for improving cancer care includes measurement, feedback, and improvement tools for medical oncology practices. QOPI currently includes more than 80 quality measures. Michigan continues to lead the nation in participation in QOPI with14 percent of national participants coming from Michigan. Of the first practices to be ASCO QOPI-certified, 19 percent are from Michigan (as of June 2011).
In an effort to improve quality and decrease variation in oncology clinical practice among Michigan physician practices, BCBSM introduced the Michigan Oncology Clinical Treatment Pathways Program in January 2010. The Pathways Program provides recommended treatment pathways for patients with breast, colon, lung, lymphoma, myeloma, ovarian, prostate, and renal cancers who are receiving chemotherapy for the first time or are receiving a new line of chemotherapy due to disease progression or metastases. Since the Pathways Program launched in January 2010, interest among oncologists to participate in the program has continued to rise. In its first year of operations, 185 of the 323 eligible physician group incentive plan (PGIP) oncologists participated in the Pathways Program; in 2011, 197 of the 318 eligible PGIP oncologists participated in the Pathways Program, a 5 percent increase over 2010 participation. An analysis of the impact of the first year of the program was completed and demonstrated consistent and high levels of quality cancer care consistent with the use of pathways and supportive care. Additionally, a survey of both the coordinating center and 2010 program participants revealed high levels of satisfaction with the program.
In addition to these hospitals collaborators, BCBSM/BCN is partnering with 78 Michigan oncology practices representing 270 oncologists on the QOPI Initiative and 210 oncologists on the Pathways Program. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Michigan Society of Hematology and Oncology, Oncology Physicians Resources and its administrative arm, Physician Resource Management, are also participants in these collaboratives.
For more information:
David Share, MD
Vice President, Value Partnerships,
Assistant
Chief Medical Officer, BCBSM/BCN
Phone: 313-448-6142
E-mail: dshare@bcbsm.com
2011 Spirit of Collaboration Awards — Honorable Mention
The Consortium also recognized the efforts of the following organizations with the presentation of 2011 MCC Spirit of Collaboration Honorable Mention Awards for their leadership of exemplary collaborative projects on behalf of the MCC and comprehensive cancer control efforts in Michigan.
Breast Cancer Safety Net
Addressing: Breast Cancer
Project description: Because of new, more restrictive BCCCP qualification guidelines and the
number of uninsured women in Southwest Michigan, a method to prevent
uninsured and underinsured people from falling through the cracks in the
Southwest Michigan breast cancer healthcare systems was needed.
Uninsured or underinsured, low-income people (annual family income of
less than $50,000) need access to screening mammograms or follow-up
diagnostic breast cancer testing (diagnostic mammograms, ultrasounds,
biopsies, etc.).
The Breast Cancer Safety Net program provides financial support to enable access to these services for:
uninsured or underinsured low-income women between 40-50 years with immediate need for clinical breast exam or mammogram;
uninsured or underinsured low-income women under 40 yrs with symptoms of breast cancer (e.g., breast mass); and
uninsured men of any age with symptom(s) of breast cancer.
During the past year, the Breast Cancer Safety Net program has provided financial support for mammograms and diagnostic follow-up testing for more than 60 men and women, many of whom had symptoms of breast cancer. Some of the patients are Pink Saturdays screening program patients who needed six-month follow-up mammograms. Clinics, BCCCP, hospitals, and associated radiology organizations have all referred patients for Breast Cancer Safety Net support.
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C-3 Community Garden & Beautification Project Addressing: Healthy Lifestyles
Project description: Catherine’s Health Center is a non-profit clinic dedicated to wellness and prevention operating since 1996 on the northeast side of Grand Rapids. The center recently moved into larger accommodations in early 2011 while staying on the same campus. This expansion has greatly increased their ability to serve the large medical need in our community. The staff provides general practice medical care to individuals and families. They also provide extensive education, screening and primary care medical services to medically underserved women in our community.
As part of their commitment to health and wellness, the organization decided to dedicate a portion of their landscaping at the new clinic for edible plants. This is a community garden and beautification project for Catherine’s Health Center that was done in conjunction with local advocates. It is dedicated to providing fresh produce and offering gardening exposure as part of the educational activities and wellness programs for clients of this non-profit clinic. The design for the garden was contributed by Weise Architects. The planting was done by student volunteers from the MSU School of Human medicine. Patients and other volunteers helped to tend the garden and harvest the produce, which was then distributed to patients.
One of Catherine’s Health Center’s key areas of focus is breast and cervical cancer prevention and education. The clinic’s partnership with the Women’s Health Network program has positively impacted many women in the community by providing access to otherwise cost-prohibitive services and cancer treatment. This exceptional program provides free mammograms, as well as advance medical care, including treatment for a cancer diagnosis. Catherine's Health Center also provides the Well Integrated Screening and Education for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) Program, which promotes healthy lifestyle choices in the areas of smoking cessation, nutrition, and physical activity.
Creatively and correctly managing any green space in urban settings is good stewardship and fits well with the new Gold LEED certified clinic’s overall commitment to sustainability. The goal was to produce an attractive and inviting physical landscape, as well as a functional and produce-yielding environment. The invitation to participate in cultivation for current patients and neighbors promotes even greater pride and ownership. With the plants still growing, there is no available data.
Michigan State University School of Human Medicine
Weise Architects
For more information:
Sally Cory, Program Supervisor
Women's Health Network
Kent County
Health Department
Phone: 616-632-7294
E-mail: sally.cory@kentcountymi.gov
Feet and Friends Fighting Colon Cancer Addressing: Colorectal Cancer
Project description: Feet and Friends Fighting Colon Cancer is the first ever American Cancer
Society (ACS) 8k competitive run and 5k family-friendly walk/run
created by a dedicated volunteer committee of health providers,
survivors, caregivers, business leaders, and clinicians to raise funds
and awareness for colon cancer screening, educate the public, and improve quality of life for everyone touched by colon cancer, with an
emphasis on exercise and activity pre and/or post diagnosis.
Two female colon cancer survivors approached the ACS to launch this event in collaboration with the active CRAN of Washtenaw County to generate publicity for the benefits of physical activity and colon cancer screening. The survivors recruited 18 motivated volunteer committee members, recruited 564 registered participants, raised over $61,000, celebrated 20 colon cancer survivors on Saturday, April 16 at Gallup Park, Ann Arbor, and designed the first ACS website dedicated solely to colon cancer (www.feetandfriends.org).
This collaboration established the annual American Cancer Society "Feet and Friends Fighting Colon Cancer" event model that can readily be duplicated across Michigan and potentially the United States. It also helped to increase awareness, build friendships, celebrate survivorship, and improve quality of life for survivors and participants.
Maria Mencia Cancer Caregiver Network Addressing: Cancer Survivorship
Project description: The Maria Mencia Cancer Caregiver Support Network was established in 2008
with the goal of providing care and support to the caregivers of a
cancer patient. This could be a spouse, sibling, parent, child, etc.
Luis Mencia brought the idea forward to Cancer Services and MidMichigan
Medical Center after the death of his wife Maria. He felt this was a gap
in services and care that should be addressed. He had researched a
similar program in Westchester, NY, and contacted them for
additional details.
The program idea was developed by Mr. Mencia with the help of Cancer Services and MidMichigan Medical Center – Midland. Funding for initial start up was provided by local foundations and businesses. A medical social worker was hired, and a program was developed to train volunteer cancer coaches. Coaches were trained and in place by 2009 and June 2011. Since then, more than 240 cancer patients and their families have been matched with a cancer coach to help them through their journey.
The program underscores the importance of screening and training of coaches to provide a value added service. It also helps the patient and their family to help themselves and get connected with community resources that are available to them.