THREE TRUSTEES ADDED TO GCC BOARD
Frank Barron of Rome; Philip Wilheit, Sr., of Gainesville; and Douglas Ivester of Atlanta have been added to the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Cancer Coalition which provides the nonprofit organization with governance, strategic direction and fiscal oversight. The mission of the Coalition is to reduce the number of cancer deaths in the state by accelerating cancer prevention, detection, treatment and research.
Frank Barron is retired as Vice President of Rome Coca-Cola Bottling Company and serves on the board of The Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, the Carter Center, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Berry College (Trustee Emeritus), and the Governor’s State Workforce Investment Board.
Dougles Ivester is President of Deer Run Investments, LLC. He is retired from The Coca-Cola Company where he was the tenth chairman of the board and chief executive officer. He is a member of the board of directors of Sun Trust Bank, Atlanta; Sun Trust Banks of Georgia; and S1 Corporation; a trustee of Emory University; Chairman of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center; and a board member of Brenau University and the Woodruff Arts Center.
Philip Wilheit is President and Managing Partner of Wilheit Packaging. He served as Chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 2001 and currently serves on the boards of the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Commission for a New Georgia. In Gainesville, he has chaired the Gainesville/Hall Development Authority for the last 30 years; as is also past Chairman of the Board of the Gainesville Bank and Trust and the former GBT Bankshares. He has provided leadership for the Northeast Georgia Health System board for 20 years, as Vice Chairman; Chairman; and currently, Chairman Emeritus.
“The Georgia Cancer Coalition Board felt that trustee representation was needed from Northeast and Northwest Georgia as well as increased representation in Atlanta. These business and community leaders bring a great deal of expertise to the Board and a sincere interest in the well-being of their individual communities and the state of Georgia,” says William J. Todd, President and CEO, Georgia Cancer Coalition.
The Georgia Cancer Coalition leads Georgia's comprehensive cancer initiative, uniting people and organizations to work together to save lives and reduce suffering from cancer. As a public-private partnership, the Coalition works to strengthen existing cancer-related programs and create new initiatives to accelerate cancer prevention, early detection, research, and treatment. By providing assistance and guidance in the use of Georgia's resources, the Georgia Cancer Coalition hopes to reduce cancer mortality and incidence.
The Coalition is the first of its kind in the nation and is fast becoming a national model.
For further information, the official website is www.georgiacancer.org.
FAITHWORKS BRINGS CANCER MINISTRY TO SE GA
Having cancer is enough of a burden. But it is often only the start of problems faced by people who get this scary diagnosis as well as their families. They may not know where to go for medical help. They may have financial issues and need help filing for insurance coverage. They may not be able to work. They will require transportation to medical appointments. And all the day-to-day activities—cooking, cleaning, transporting kids to school and sports, home care and taking care of pets – often take a back seat to the major issue at hand, treating cancer. But, those things still need to be handled.
Families in Glynn County and surrounding areas experiencing a cancer crisis may find a welcome resource in the new Cancer Ministry being implemented by FaithWorks, with support from a grant from the Georgia Cancer Coalition funded by the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation. In Southeast Georgia, this is no small task. In the 10-county area, approximately 2,000 people are diagnosed with cancer annually.
“We are expanding our ministry by developing a Cancer Network of Hope,” says Reverend Doctor Wright A. Culpepper, Executive Director of FaithWorks, founded in 1995 to serve Glynn County. “The Cancer Ministry’s focus is on cancer prevention, early detection and on helping to meet the spiritual, physical, emotional and informational needs of those with cancer and their caregivers.”
Services are available to people of all faiths. The ministry is working with several congregations, each providing volunteers for various teams who work together in one program. “Our focus is not on proselytizing,” says Rev. Culpepper, “but on helping all God’s children as they experience their cancer journey.”
Planning began in January, and the program was launched in April with a Summit in Brunswick where representatives from 20 churches were oriented by the Georgia Cancer Coalition. Participants included ministers, oncology physicians, survivors, caregivers and volunteers. Director of the Cancer Network of Hope is Debbie Cauthen.
Anyone can initiate a call for help. An assessor is then assigned to meet with the family to understand their situation and needs. That information is reviewed and communicated to committee leaders who assign tasks to their volunteers.
Resources include people who make meals, provide transportation, make home repairs, do housecleaning, walk dogs, play music, make phone calls, send cards, refer to support groups, offer prayer, and much more.
Some unique aspects of the FaithWorks Cancer Ministry include:
• Prayer Shawls: Every Sunday, members of a church in Southeast Georgia say a blessing over prayer shawls for the recipient. Some shawls are purchased, while others are hand made by local people who have provided knitted and crocheted items for people in hospitals and nursing homes.
• ProPage Prayer: A network of people who have ProPage cell and paging services in Southeast Georgia have signed up to be “Prayer Warriors,” on call to pray for people as they undergo chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery. The “O for 1,000 tongues to pray” program participants will demonstrate faith in the power of prayer.
• Karen’s House of Hope: With excess funds from those collected to help the late Karen Milburn, who died in the early 1990s of breast cancer, a house adjacent to the Southeast Georgia Health System has been purchased and will open in June. The space will provide offices for the Cancer Ministry, meeting room for cancer support groups, and bedrooms for cancer (and other) patients and their families who may be traveling long distances for their care.
“We have our first guests in Karen's House of Hope! He is a gentleman who lives more than an hour away from Brunswick. He and his wife come and stay with us Monday through Thursday nights while he gets his 47 radiation treatments. We figure that they are saving $2500 to $3000 in gas alone,” says Debbie Cauthen.
“The Cancer Ministry is testimony to Southeast Georgia’s cooperative spirit of community to respond to a challenge,” says Rev. Culpepper. “Glynn County has about 75,000 residents. We seek to focus primarily on the 50,000 that are not connected to a church. Ultimately, we would like to expand to support the needs of cancer survivors in our neighboring counties as well.”
The Georgia Cancer Coalition has helped support Cancer Ministries throughout the state. The program is non-denominational; any religious organization is welcome to initiate a cancer support program. For information on the Cancer Ministry program, contact Angie Patterson at APatterson@georgiacancer.org or 404-584-0657.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PERRY PILOTS CANCER MINISTRY
Members of First Baptist Church of Perry who are diagnosed with cancer are literally and figuratively “covered” with hope thanks to a pilot program in cooperation with Georgia Cancer Coalition. Through the Cancer Ministry, the church is developing teams of volunteers who assess the family’s needs and provide help—with meals, transportation, and household work—as well as hope.
“At one time, our list of members suffering from illness had 23 names of people who had cancer. It’s the joy of a pastor’s heart to see people willing to minister to others in their time of sickness, especially from this destructive disease,” says Dr. Wayne Edwards, interim pastor. “We can’t cure cancer, but we can help each person. Already, I have seen the Cancer Ministry bring us closer together as a caring, supportive community,” he adds.
The Georgia Cancer Coalition assisted First Baptist by providing them with a framework for a faith-based initiative and hands-on training for interested volunteers. Funding came from a grant from the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation.
“Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Georgia. In Houston County, about 1,850 new cancer cases are diagnosed per year and more than 880 people die from this disease,” says Bill Todd, President and CEO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition. “We’re delighted that the Georgia Cancer Coalition was able to serve Houston County with such an innovative program made possible by a public-private partnership.”
First Baptist Church’s congregation has embraced the Cancer Ministry, providing people who have cancer with lovely gift baskets, a personal note of encouragement from a cancer survivor, and a fleece throw monogrammed with the word hope that blankets the recipients with uplifting encouragement.
Already, twelve baskets have been distributed. A circle of hope volunteers joined hands and hearts around the blankets, dedicating themselves to the task at hand and uplifting each blanket and the person the blankets would cover.
The church has committed computer equipment and space, called the hope resource library, adjacent to the sanctuary. Cancer resource information is available there and volunteers can meet with families to listen to their concerns. The office is open Wednesday and Sunday, and other times by appointment.
At the core of the volunteers who have supported this mission are Debi Hutchens and Ruth Tarpley. The women were close friends who met while working for the school system. Debi knew she would need help with the ministry because she is physically limited from complications following four heart bypasses. Ruth, who also volunteers as the church’s Women’s Mission Director, was more than happy to help.
“I saw that cancer had such a major impact on our church members,” she says.“So many women I have known were diagnosed with breast cancer, and some have since passed away. Several members have been caregivers for their relatives as well,” she adds. “I was very conscious of the need for support.”
The Cancer Ministry aspires to meet the spiritual, emotional, physical and informational needs of people with cancer and their families as they face the battle with cancer. Just as every person’s cancer is different, so are each person’s needs. More than fifty members have already volunteered to assess the person’s needs, offer prayers, organize and deliver baskets, and provide such practical services as making means, providing transportation, cleaning house or taking care of pets.
“We are starting the Cancer Ministry by supporting church members who are on their own personal journey with cancer, or serving as a caregiver to a spouse, child, parent or other family member,” Brother Edwards says. “We hope that once the program is fully implemented and volunteer workers in place, that we can expand the ministry to the entire Perry community. We aspire to reach those who are not connected to a local church and be able to provide them with professional and volunteer assistance,” he says.
“With the help of other churches, our long-term vision is to serve those touched by cancer throughout Houston County,” he adds.
The Cancer Ministry will also work on cancer prevention and early detection, by working with community providers to offer health fairs, screenings, and cancer education.
“With my own illness and my husband having survived melanoma, I know how difficult coping with cancer can be,” Debi Hutchens says. “The Cancer Ministry gives me and other members of the church the opportunity to do what we can to give back to others,” she adds.
The Georgia Cancer Coalition has helped support Cancer Ministries throughout the state. The program is non-denominational; any religious organization is welcome to initiate a cancer support program. For information on the Cancer Ministry program, contact Angie Patterson at APatterson@georgiacancer.org 404-584-0657.
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Upcoming Events
Sunday, July 27: The Hope Cancer Ministry will host a Survivor's Luncheon following morning worship in the church fellowship hall. This will be a celebration in honor of those who have survived cancer or who are currently walking through their cancer experience.
Sunday, August 3: A Cancer Survivor Group will start meeting the first Sunday of each month beginning at 4:30 PM until 5:45 PM at the church.
PATIENT NAVIGATORS STEER CANCER PATIENTS THROUGH HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
When you’re diagnosed with cancer, your life is taken off course on a journey to a strange place. Because it’s not all smooth sailing, it helps to have guidance to weather the storms. To help steer cancer patients in the right direction, while providing support and encouragement, Georgia’s medical community is training healthcare professionals and volunteers as Patient Navigators.
They may work for a hospital, a public health department, or in a community setting with patients who have breast, lung, colorectal, prostate, head and neck or other types of cancer. In any case, Patient Navigation has been shown through evidence-based research to make a difference in patient health and wellbeing.
Dr. Harold Freeman, Associate Director of the National Cancer Institute and Director of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Treatment and Prevention in Harlem, New York, is credited with spearheading the development of the first breast health patient navigator program in 1990. On Thursday, July 10, he will be addressing cancer care professionals and survivors in Atlanta on “Patient Navigation: Improving the quality of cancer control.” The program is presented by the Georgia Cancer Coalition and the Georgia Cancer Foundation and sponsored by Pfizer.
Dr. Freeman initiated Patient Navigation as part of his personal crusade to improve medical care for the less fortunate. His goal was to reduce the race and income-related disparity in healthcare. Using free and low-cost screening mammography; improved outreach and public education; and patient navigation to promote treatment without delay, Harlem Hospital saw dramatically improved results.
Similar results have been found in other communities, including right here in Atlanta. Research done at Grady Hospital showed that community education and internal navigation programs could lead to a significant shift in stage at diagnosis of breast cancer among African American women, with a doubling in the proportion of cases caught at the earliest stage. Dr. Sheryl Gabram-Mendola, an Emory University researcher and surgical oncologist at the Emory Winship Cancer Institute is Director of the AVON Comprehensive Breast Center at the Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and a Georgia Cancer Coalition Scholar.
"This success story is a wonderful example of how Georgia cancer patients benefit from the efforts of the Georgia Cancer Coalition to recruit nationally prominent researchers to come to our institutions. Dr. Gabram's work was published in a prestigious national scientific journal, but the beneficiaries of her research were the patients at Grady whose breast cancers were found earlier, vastly increasing their prospects for survival," says Bill Todd, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
Attendees at the Patient Navigation event will include representatives from the Department of Human Resources, the Centers for Disease Control, the Regional Cancer Coalitions of Georgia, the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education, the Georgia Society for Clinical Oncology, the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, American Cancer Society, and representatives from several hospitals, survivor organizations and community service programs.
“Patient Navigation is a key component of Georgia’s State Cancer Plan for Comprehensive Cancer Control as well as the state clinical alliance working with St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System in Savannah on the National Cancer Institute’s Community Cancer Center’s Program, “ says Angie Patterson, COO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition. “ The concept has received national attention in the policymaking and health care communities. We are delighted to have Dr. Freeman address the state cancer community and support out efforts in Patient Navigation.”
TWO GA ACADEMIC CA CENTERS RECOGNIZED BY BCBSGA
(July 2): Two academic Cancer Centers in Georgia have been designated by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) as Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers, focusing on complex inpatient and surgical care. Both the Emory Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta and Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah earned the Blue distinction.
Complex and rare cancers comprise approximately 15 percent of new cancer cases each year, which can make it difficult for patients to locate oncologists or surgical teams experienced in treating these cancers. Examples include cancer of the bladder, bone, head and neck, brain, esophagus, liver, rectum, pancreas and thyroid, as well as soft tissue sacrcoma, ocular melanoma, gastric cancer and acute leukemia.
“When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, families value the opportunity to receive treatment nearby. Residents of Georgia are fortunate to have two facilities in the state which have been recognized for having teams with the distinguished expertise and subspecialty training required to address the evaluation, treatment planning, major surgery, and complex inpatient care required for treating complex and rare cancers,” says Bill Todd, President and CEO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
The evidence-based selection criteria were developed in strategic collaboration with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with input from a panel of expert clinicians. To be named a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers, facilities must:
• Have multidisciplinary team input, including sub-specialty trained teams for complex and rare cancers and demonstrated depth of expertise across cancer disciplines in medicine, surgery, radiation oncology, pathology, and radiology;
• Demonstrate ongoing quality management and improvement programs for cancer care;
• Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to using clinical data registries and improvement programs for cancer care; and
• Demonstrate sufficient volume of experience in treating rare and complex cancers
Blue Distinction is awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. Building on the successful results of earlier programs focused on cardiac care, bariatric surgery and transplants, the program was recently expanded to include the designation of 85 Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers.
“We are honored to be recognized as a Blue Distinction Center by Blue Cross and Blue Shield,” says Charles Staley, MD, director of surgical oncology at Emory Winship.
"This designation is a confirmation of the hard work and dedication to research and patient care that is exhibited every day by our faculty, nursing and administrative staff.
“Earning Blue Distinction is especially important to us because it is based on actual patient outcomes and quality indicators. It demonstrates that no one needs to leave the Georgia for world-class cancer care,” said Jeff Boyd, Ph.D., director of the Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute (ACI) at Memorial University Medical Center.
“We commend the facilities that have been designated for treating complex and rare cancers," says Monye Connolly, president, BCBSGa. “Blue Distinction promotes the consistent practice of evidence-based medicine. The Blues are committed to working collaboratively with physicians and hospitals to raise the overall quality of healthcare in our nation. We understand that to deliver true patient-centered care, Blue Distinction Centers often need to coordinate care following a complex surgery or primary inpatient stay with patients’ local physicians.”
BCBSGa recognizes that the majority of patients' multidisciplinary treatment may be best accomplished by integrating the expertise available in a Blue Distinction Center with locally available treatment resources, especially for outpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy, based on individual circumstances and patient preference. Optimal support of a patient's comprehensive cancer care needs may be achieved by coordination of care between the patient and their family, local physicians, the Blue Distinction Center and BCBSGa. For more information or additional criteria used for the designation visit www.BCBS.com.
Emory Winship Cancer Institute
As a leader in patient-centered cancer care and research, Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute (EWCI) serves as the coordinating center for a vast array of resources in medical, surgical, radiation oncology, diagnostic imaging, and the subspecialties of cancer care throughout Emory University--from blood and bone marrow stem cell transplants to groundbreaking surgical procedures.
Memorial University Medical Center
Memorial University Medical Center is a two-state healthcare organization serving a 35-county area in southeast Georgia and southern South Carolina. The system includes its flagship hospital, a 530-bed tertiary medical center; Memorial primary and specialty care physician networks; a major medical education program; business and industry services; and NurseOne, a 24-hour call center. Memorial University Medical Center has been named a Distinguished Hospital by J.D. Power and Associates four years in a row for providing an outstanding patient experience. Visit our Web site at www.memorialhealth.com.
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