The provincial Cancer Patient Navigation program is a major step forward in providing necessary support and assistance to cancer patients and their families in navigating the health-care system, announced Honourable Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Health and Wellness.
“A cancer diagnosis can be a life-changing, and often overwhelming, experience for patients and their families,” said Minister Bertram. “We are very pleased to be able to offer this service to Islanders as a component of our provincial Cancer Control Strategy. Fighting cancer is an emotionally difficult and challenging journey but, with the support and guidance of our cancer patient navigator, Islanders won’t have to go through it alone.”
The provincial Cancer Patient Navigation program directly connects cancer patients to a cancer education and support specialist – known a as a “cancer patient navigator” – who, through one-on-one interaction, will support and guide patients and their families through the spectrum of their cancer journey from diagnosis and treatment to continuing care. The cancer patient navigator will provide the necessary educational materials and information on support services such as social work, spiritual care, dietitians, income support, home-care nursing, palliative care, community supports and/or other services based on a patient’s psychological, emotional or financial needs.
“As no cancer journey is the same, Prince Edward Island’s Cancer Patient Navigation program will enable us to assist patients with personalized cancer care and access to community resources and support,” said Keith Dear, CEO of Health PEI. “As part of our health-care team of professionals, the cancer patient navigator will provide patients and their families easy-to-understand information that they need to make appropriate treatment decisions, better understand their medical condition and help them manage their individual day-to-day challenges of living with cancer.”
The Cancer Patient Navigation program is confidential and assists Islanders who have recently received a cancer diagnosis, caregivers and supporters of individuals diagnosed with cancer, and individuals going through cancer treatment. “Everyone going through cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery needs information and support in addition to the medical care provided by a health-care team,” said Lynn McCabe, Cancer Patient Navigator for Health PEI.
Health care professionals, agencies and support groups or the individual patient can request cancer navigation support.
For more information on the Cancer Patient Navigation program, visit www.cancercentre.pe.ca.