Scranton Area Community Foundation Cites NRCI’s Patient Navigation Program For Community Impact
Leaders from the Scranton Area Community Foundation presented the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Patient Navigation Program with an award citing their positive impact on the northeastern PA community. Standing from left to right are: Rachel Drazdowski, SACF Director of Philanthropy; Laura Ducceschi, president & CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation; Karen Saunders, president of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute; Cathy Fitzpatrick, grants administrator of the Scranton Area Community Foundation and Laura Toole, director of community and patient services at the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute.
The Board of Governors of the Scranton Area Community Foundation recently cited the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Patient Navigation Program for its “significant and positive impact on our community” as part of the Foundation’s celebration of its 60th Anniversary. In addition to being honored at the community celebration held in the fall, the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Patient Navigation Program was recently presented with an award “in grateful recognition of its dedication to the improvement of the quality of life for the people of northeastern Pennsylvania.”
“We are grateful for this recognition and for the important partnership we share with the foundation”, stated Karen Saunders, president of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, “Through our important collaboration with the Scranton Area Community Foundation, we continue to strive to provide individualized assistance to guide participants through the vital screening process and help find cancer early.”
“It is more than appropriate for us to recognize the NRCI Patient Navigation Program for its significant impact on our community. Their work has been extraordinary”, stated Laura Ducceschi, president & CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation, “The NRCI Patient Navigation Program has done so much to maintain the dignity of our region by helping to find cancer early or prevent it and we are deeply grateful for their ongoing efforts to improve the health of our community.”
As part of the 60th Anniversary community celebration, the NRCI Patient Navigation Program presented a “snapshot” of the impact of their work with support from the Scranton Area Community Foundation:
* The Scranton Area Community Foundation provided significant support for the NRCI Cancer Patient Navigation Program. The program works with regional healthcare providers to facilitate cancer screening for low income, uninsured and underinsured individuals
* The program facilitates breast, cervical and colon cancer screenings and establishes/re-establishes medical homes for the targeted population
* Cancer Institute Navigators provide individualized assistance to patients, families, and caregivers to overcome barriers and facilitate timely access to cancer screening and quality medical care
* Since the program’s inception in 2010, over 3,000 potential participants have been identified
* To date over 1,250 potentially lifesaving cancer screenings have been facilitated (completed), with 129 additional diagnostic tests provided for individuals with a suspicious finding upon screening
The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Patient Navigation Program helps low income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals who are not up to date with colon, breast, and cervical cancer screenings. The goal of this program is to increase screening compliance, help find cancer earlier or prevent its development entirely, and ultimately improve the health and potentially save the lives of our most in-need neighbors.