Speak Life

Our friends at Highlands Oncology Group recently made a video encompassing the value of words of encouragement and hope for cancer patients and their families. We hope you will take time to watch and please share with your friends.

 Speak Life--Highlands Oncology Group

Support for the Journey...

THE MATTER 

OF A GAS CARD

Lisa Manzini-Pace, LCSW

   Hope Cancer Resources    

The patient was tall and solid with a weathered and wise face.  He asked for the Social Worker after finishing his chemo treatment at the oncology clinic.  He drove to his daily treatments  from somewhere well into Oklahoma.  The previous week he had called in advance and a gas card had been left at the reception desk.  This no nonsense man had anticipated the same thing this week.

The social worker invited him to her small office in the clinic and explained that a gas card could be given to him in person as well.  The patient indicated that time was an important factor and asked again about how to arrange for it in advance.   He sat for a while after having been issued the gas card.  The social worker asked him a little about himself.  He wasn’t a big talker but indicated that his wife had severe medical issues and would soon require surgery in Fayetteville.  They commiserated on the complexities of health and medical care.  The man had a pleasant sense of humor and they laughed a little.

Each week on the same day he would ask to see the social worker for his gas card.  She learned where he was from originally, the work he had done, about his family and more.  He was not a natural talker but seemed to enjoy the little chats.  The social worker found them pleasant as well.  He liked to laugh despite the hardships of his situation.

In later visits the patient confided that his wife wasn’t doing well.  He, however, appeared to bear up quite well despite his treatments.  They talked about the news.  It had been a turbulent couple of weeks in the nation and the world.

                

Last week the patient asked the social worker if something was wrong.  This surprised her because there had been a serious occurrence but she felt she had concealed her sadness.  She explained about the death of a young man, a senseless and tragic event.  The patient nodded with understanding.   He knew about loss.  He had been in Vietnam.  His kindness was apparent.  He later confided that his wife’s situation was even more complicated.  The social worker offered reassurance and walked him out.  As he was leaving, the man turned back with a sad smile and said, “See you next week.”

Filling the Gap

An article was recently published listing ten states that are "dying for healthcare coverage". Unfortunately, Arkansas hits the list at no. 3, just behind Louisiana and Mississippi. According to the report by 24/7 Wall St., "Arkansas had the second-lowest cost of health care in the U.S. However, with 18.8% of the population living below the poverty line and a median annual household income of just over $38,307 - both among the lowest figures for any state - many Arkansans cannot afford private health coverage. As a result, just 58.78% of the population has private insurance."

It has long been understood by medical providers that people who lack healthcare insurance put off routine care because they fear the cost of doctor visits and potential tests or procedures they can't afford. According to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures 2012, "Lack of health insurance and other barriers prevent many Americans from receiving optimal health care, and uninsured patients... are substantially more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a later stage, when treatment can be more extensive and more costly."*

One of our core goals at Hope Cancer Resources is to enhance quality of life in our community of Northwest Arkansas. To reach that goal, we help provide access to cancer-related medical care and information for individuals who, because of financial hardships and lack of adequate insurance coverage, would otherwise be unable to receive it. We do this in several ways:

• Cancer prevention education is provided free-of-charge to civic groups, schools, clubs, churches and businesses that request it. Our certified health education specialists can meet with groups of all sizes, visit your health fair, or simply provide take-home information. Just let us know what you need.

• A Spanish interpreter is available to help Spanish-speaking patients receive information from their medical appointments in their own language. This assistance helps build trust between patient and physician, and helps ensure that treatment plans will be followed correctly, making successful recovery more likely.

• Transportation is provided to individuals who are unable to drive because of their medical condition, or who are without transportation altogether. We also provide gas cards if a patient is able to drive but is having trouble paying for gas. This happens often if a patient is required to travel out of our area for part of their treatment, or if they are driving long distances frequently - such as for radiation patients living in Carroll or Madison counties and driving to a clinic in Fayetteville or Rogers for a six-week stretch of daily radiation treatments.

• Financial assistance is provided through our Save-A-Life Cancer Screening Program to help individuals pay for physician-recommended cancer screenings. Research shows that regular screening exams can result in the detection of removal of precancerous growths as well as the diagnosis of cancers at an early stage (when they are most treatable). But for some patients the cost of screening tests can be a barrier and result in a delay in care that can potentially be life-threatening. We also hold annual screenings for prostate and skin cancer serving 400 individuals, and provide take-home colorectal screening kits to 500 individuals every year.

The mission of Hope Cancer Resources is to provide compassionate, professional cancer support and education in the Northwest Arkansas region today and tomorrow. As long as there are statistics like those listed at the beginning of this post, we will continue to work toward our vision of being recognized as the premier source for comprehensive cancer support services while enhancing quality of life. And hopefully, we'll help get Arkansas off that list.

For information on our prevention and education programs, or to ask about our screenings and other support, contact Casey Shelor by email or at 479-361-5847.

*For more information on the relationship between health insurance and cancer, you can see the Special Section in Cancer Facts & Figures 2008 available online at www.cancer.org/statistics.

Quarterly Update

How does an organization in the business of helping people with a scary, sometimes fatal disease report a "great first quarter" without sounding morbid or insensitive? It is, admittedly, a unique position to be in.

On one hand, the fact that more people are being served by our programs means that more people are being diagnosed with cancer in our community. On the other hand, those same people - if our programs were not available - would still be on the frightening and often confusing journey that is cancer treatment and recovery. The difference is that without our services, many of them would be required to choose between paying their mortgage and buying their monthly prescriptions, or be unable to get to their treatments because their cancer made them unable to drive.

We can report that we have had a great first quarter because we have been fortunate enough to serve 462 new patients being seen in local oncology clinics with the compassionate, professional cancer support and education that we are bound by our mission statement to provide.

Our patient assistance staff are the first in line to help when a patient requests an application for services. Our licensed social workers begin providing emotional support the moment they greet a new patient. From there, we are available as much or as little as needed. Since January 1st of this year, we have provided the following to cancer patients and their families in Northwest Arkansas:

$18,328.00 in direct prescription assistance;

Assistance through drug company assistance programs valued at $52,398.00;

$55,365.00 in direct emergency financial assistance;

$16,500.00 in gasoline cards;

3708 hours of emotional support services to 927 patients;

193 hours of Spanish interpretation;

668 van trips to and from appointments for a total of 39,743 miles.

Our health educators are out in the community every week sharing information on prevention, risks, awareness and our services to civic groups, schools, health fairs and local companies. Their services are vital to the health and well-being of our community... in fact, the screenings that they help secure for patients in need or provide at our annual screenings in our office can save lives. All of our educational services - as with all of our assistance and support - are provided at no cost to the patient. Since January, our health educators have provided: 

Education and prevention information to 128 individuals;

Smoking cessation counseling valued at $4,247.00 to 60 individuals; 

188 cancer screenings valued at $122,813.00.

Also in the first quarter of 2012, we held several small fundraising events in the community. You may have seen us on Facebook and Twitter talking about our events at Fish City Grill in Rogers, Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville and Ruby Tuesday in Fayetteville and Bentonville. They all hosted us for some great friend-making and awareness-building opportunities. Thank you to everyone who came out to see us or supported us silently at those events!

Finally, as a not-for-profit organization, the support we receive from local businesses and individuals is vital. We are grateful for the following grants that affirm that our work is vital and valued in our community.

Arkansas Blue and You Foundation

Carroll County Community Foundation

Komen for the Cure - Ozark Affiliate

Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation

Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute Auxiliary

See, it HAS been a great first quarter! Thank you for your support that allows us to do what we do in Northwest Arkansas. We are humbled every day by comments and notes such as this one:  

"The cookbook arrived today - I'll enjoy looking through it! Hope Cancer Resources helped two of my brothers as they battled cancer, and it is nice to have a remembrance of your organization. It was a great encouragement to my brothers to receive financial help... Thank you for all you do!"

It's Volunteer Appreciation Week!

This week is National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and Hope Cancer Resources is joining dozens of other nonprofit organizations in our area who are thanking their volunteers for their service. We are fortunate to have dedicated volunteers working in our office, at our events, and with patients at Highlands Oncology Group clinics. We regularly receive thanks from patients and families to pass along to our volunteers. With a caring gesture or kind word, they make a vital difference in the lives of people going through one of the most stressful and frightening times of their lives. 

Our volunteers go through a training process that includes introduction to the Strengths Perspectives method of communicating in an emotional support setting. Strengths Based practice uses peoples' personal strengths to aid in recovery and empowerment. It's about reframing personal perception to find good even in the worst situation. The volunteers are also trained in "active listening", positive interactions and how to be supportive and encouraging in their contact with patients. Our volunteers act as an extension of our emotional support staff, and provide invaluable patient comfort to those undergoing cancer treatment in Northwest Arkansas.

But our volunteers are not only providing beneficial services to our patients, they are receiving benefits in return. In 2007 a publication called The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research found a significant connection between volunteering and good health. The report shows that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease.  The report is available online here. 

Here's a video featuring volunteers Conjie Williams and Art Thrun, and Lisa Russell, a nurse at Highlands Oncology Group, sharing why they volunteer and the impact of their work:

One of our volunteers shared a personal story with us recently. She has worked with us for several years helping coordinate one of our special events. At that event, we provide statistics on the services we provide, we have patients share their stories, and we honor an individual making a difference in Northwest Arkansas cancer care. This volunteer has heard this information every year, but it wasn't until she started volunteering in our office that the impact we have on individuals battling cancer in our community really hit home. Through her tears, she shared her "lightbulb moment" and how much she appreciates being able to help us fulfill our mission of providing

compassionate, professional cancer support and education in the Northwest Arkansas region today and tomorrow.

As you can tell, we are proud of our volunteer corps. And in case you're wondering - we always have room for more. Bring a friend and join us for the next volunteer orientation meeting scheduled for April 19th. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities and how you can make a difference in only a few hours a month. Contact Christy Scarrow, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, at 479-361-5847 for more information.