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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, PhD, Department of Preventive & Societal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, SLC 3008, Omaha, NE 68198-4350, 402-559-5387, swatanabe@unmc.edu

The "Guiding Hands" project is a breast cancer patient navigator program employing cancer survivors as navigators. This unique approach to patient navigation will allow cancer survivors to share their knowledge of the complex health care system with newly diagnosed patients, while identifying available resources and providing social support to minority and medically underserved women. This program was conceptualized by a group of researchers and health care providers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) who were discussing navigator programs as a way to address cancer disparity. An idea involving the use of cancer survivors evolved as the group discovered that one group member, an outreach nurse who is also a breast cancer survivor herself, was the co-founder of a support group for African American women.

A patient navigator team was quickly formed to develop a protocol and secure funding. The team met with members of the breast cancer survivor group (My Sister's Keeper) who enthusiastically welcomed the idea; a few of the members even volunteered to become navigators. The team also approached other cancer support groups in the community and at UNMC to identify existing resources for cancer patients. In December 2005, the team received a grant from the Nebraska Chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to implement a pilot study. Now the program is in the planning phase before implementation. The team is hoping to share experiences and resources developed this project with groups who might be interested in implementing a similar program.

Learning Objectives: After the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe definitions and concepts of navigator programs
• Identify key factors in developing a partnership between an academic institution and community group
• Describe key steps in developing and implementing a hospital-based navigator program

Keywords: Cancer, Minority Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered