Economic Impact (Part Two)

Raise your hand if you've heard the term "clinical trials". Okay, now keep your hand up if you aren't really sure what they are or what the purpose of them is. There are a lot of hands still in the air!

There is a lot of talk in journals and on websites that keep up with cancer research that mentions clinical trials. When a patient is starting to head down the road of treatment, it's one of the options that could be presented by their oncologist... but what does it mean to join a trial? Where are they located? And, most important for some patients - how much will it cost?

Clinical trials are available for virtually every type or stage of cancer diagnosis. To be accepted into a trial means that there is active research being conducted on your specific cancer type, stage of development, or treatment plan. Sometimes they are set up to test a new combination of medications, and other times they are more unique, like the one currently being conducted at UAMS where women's tears are being captured and tested for proteins that may point to the development of breast cancer.

Many patients see trials as a "last resort" option, only to be looked into when traditional treatments don't provide the desired recovery results. But more and more cancer clinics are putting together staff who can do the research and management that is necessary to develop and manage top-notch clinical trials program on a local level, providing access from the very beginning of a treatment plan.

At HOPE, Inc. we have a licensed RN on staff who manages twelve clinical trials for the patients referred to us by oncologists at Highland's Oncology Group in Fayetteville and Bentonville. Since these trials are managed and performed here in NW Arkansas, our patients are able to benefit from cutting-edge research and still sleep in their own beds at night.

Not having to travel to a distant medical facility like MD Anderson in Houston or the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is not only emotionally beneficial for our patients, but it takes a potentially HUGE burden off of their budget. Recently, we calculated the estimated cost of participating in a clinical trial at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas and came up with the following:

Mileage Expenses: $.585 (IRS rate) x 400 miles = $234 x min. of 25 trips = $5,850

Lodging/Meals for a three day stay: $136 (IRS Per Diem Rate) x 75 (3 days per trip) = $10,200

3 days lost wages (24 total hours) = 431.76 x 25 trips = $10,794
(based on average household median income for Arkansas: $37,420 = $17.99 per hour)

Total Annual Expense Per Patient: $26,844

Remember, this is only calculating the costs for a trial conducted three hours away, and doesn't even include the cost to a caregiver for their time off work, food, and lodging on the trip. Then there are the regular medications and treatments and doctors' visits required to maintain the standard of care...

Now you can see what one of our patients meant when she recently told us that her first thought upon receiving her diagnosis of colon cancer was "I can't afford to have cancer."

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Economic Impact (Part One)

There was an article published in the Northwest Arkansas Times in January of this year that explored the impact of local non-profit organizations on our community's financial outlook. The article focused primarily on how the highlighted agencies contribute to the area's financial stability through payment of salaries and bringing ancillary monies to the community.

HOPE, Inc. doesn't employ dozens of people, nor does it host programs that will attract hundreds of spectators who will feed their families at local restaurants, but as an organization that provides direct financial assistance, we can state without a doubt that our fiscal viability is vital to our community especially in the midst of our country's current economic downturn. Just as we are working harder to secure donations at levels equal to those of past years, the cancer patients we serve need us more than ever before.

Last year we created a report that outlined the amount of value our assistance programs offer to our community, and the numbers were impressive. We found that for fiscal year 2007-2008, the monthly financial impact our programs had on cancer patients living or being treated in northwest Arkansas was $39,720.00.

The total financial impact for the entire fiscal year was $476,640.00.

That is money spent to keep people in their homes, make sure they are able to get to their radiation appointments to maintain the treatment plan set up by their physician, and to help them focus on healing and recovery rather than whether or not they can afford to buy their chemotherapy prescription AND put food on the table for their family.

Travel expenses for those needing treatment out of town are also provided on a case-by-case basis. Notes from patients like this are what it's all about for us:

I want to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude for your organization's financial assistance for our son. Your donation of $600 helped us afford to live in an apartment near CARTI in Little Rock. The apartment has been a infinite blessing in the midst of such a painful time for our son. The radiation and chemo treatments that he receives each weekday are very hard on his body. It is comforting to come "home" to our apartment each day and relax in a quiet and peaceful setting. May God richly bless your individual and corporate lives.

You can make a difference in the life of a local cancer patient. Find out more about HOPE, Inc. and donate online at www.hopenwa.org. We are all affected, and we can all share HOPE.

Next time: The cost benefit of providing LOCAL clinical trials to cancer patients.

Happy Holidays!

What an exciting time of year! The cooler weather that has shown up in Northwest Arkansas reminds us that the holidays are upon us.

In 2008 we at HOPE have so much to be thankful for. The wonderful support from our community has allowed us to grow our programs this year to serve more people than ever before. In the last year we have touched the lives of 1,160 local cancer patients and their families, providing one or more of these important services:

• clinical trial access
• prescription assitance
• utility and housing assistance
• counseling services
• support agency referrals
• gas cards

In the coming year it is projected that approximately 1800 people in Northwest Arkansas will be diagnosed with cancer. We have added to our staff and programs to meet the coming needs for support that that number will bring.

Miki King is our newest Social Worker, giving our Patient Services staff the ability to be at the clinic and immediately available every day of the week.

Laurie Marshall joined us as our Development Coordinator to manage our fundraising programs and events and to help increase our visibility in the community.

We are excited about a new program that we have taken on called Been There. It's a peer-to-peer program that matches local cancer survivors with newly diagnosed patients and will add a very important component to the patient services our social workers already provide. It was being managed by a wonderful group of volunteers, and we are looking forward to watching it grow as we add some administrative support.

The economy has been tight for all of us, but the news is full of stories that bring hope for the mood of our country. More and more people are turning to their neighbors this season to offer support to those who need support, and to give hope to those who need it most.

We hope you will support HOPE this holiday season and honor or remember a special friend or loved one with a gift that will help someone in Northwest Arkansas who is battling cancer.

May 2009 be a year of joy and good health for you and yours.

Happy Holidays!