Cancer Navigator program like a concierge
MESA, Ariz. (May 8, 2008) -- A substantial grant from AstraZeneca is permitting the American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program at Banner Desert Cancer Center to offer its services full-time, expanding the resources and reach of the program.
Banner Desert is the first site in Arizona included in a strategic nationwide effort to significantly extend the reach of the Cancer Society’s innovative Patient Navigator Program, a comprehensive initiative designed to assist individual cancer patients in negotiating the health care system. AstraZeneca has pledged $10 million to the American Cancer Society to accelerate development of at least 50 new Patient Navigator Program sites over a five-year period in communities throughout the United States.
“Fighting cancer is a difficult, challenging journey; but with the help of trained navigators, patients don’t have to go through it alone,” said Tricia Bruce, American Cancer Society patient navigator at Banner Desert. “I’m here to provide support every step of the way, from explaining what to expect with chemotherapy, to making sure patients have transportation to and from appointments.”
About Banner Desert Medical Center
Banner Desert Medical Center is a 549-bed nonprofit hospital, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services for adults and children. Located in Mesa, AZ, the hospital is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the state of Arizona.
