|
Greater Baltimore
Medical Center (GBMC)
In 2007,
BSNCF made a donation to GBMC’s Cancer Center. Our
donation provided part of the funds needed to create a Patient Resource Guide. 
A patient’s first visit to a cancer center can be
intimidating and confusing. Recognizing the need to give
patients as much useful information as possible on that
first visit, a new comprehensive “patient handbook” has been
created,
 listing the many services and programs offered
through GBMC’s cancer program. The
handbook is presented to every new patient as they meet with
their oncologist for the first visit or begin infusion
therapy.
Patients
are encouraged to use the handbook to organize all of the
health care
information
that is received or needed during their treatment.
This
includes patient education materials, treatments,
medications, appointment calendars, pain management, test
results logs, and support resource listings. 
Tom
Barnett presents a check to Donna Lewis, Director of
Oncology Support Services and Brian McCagh, Executive
Director ; Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at
GBMC
Lee’s Friends:
Helping People Live with Cancer
In 2007,
Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation donated to LEE’S
FRIENDS: Helping People Live with Cancer. The funds were
earmarked to support gynecologic cancer patients and their
families. This donation provided assistance to over 400
volunteers who offer much needed support to those dealing
with cancer in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and
Virginia Beach, Virginia.
LEE’S
FRIENDS, is an award winning support program for cancer
patients and their families. The program is named for Lee
Harkins who died of Hodgkin’s disease at the age of 16. Lee
had a vision to help others who might not be as fortunate as
she. From her diagnosis until her death, Lee’s admirable
manner of dealing with her cancer included remarkable
courage, humor and determination. Death was not an issue –
living was. Even as she battled her disease, other patients
were continually on her mind. The organization’s primary
mission remains true to Lee’s vision. LEE’S FRIENDS works
with patients of all ages and stages from diagnosis to cure
or through death and bereavement. Their mission is to offer
person-to-person help and needed emotional and practical
support to cancer patients and their families who are facing
the crisis of diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Sinai Hospital
After the
Barnett Searing National Cancer Foundation funded the
Patient Navigator position at Sinai Hospital in 2005, the
care they were able to provide for patients was greatly
enhanced. One special program that was developed by the
Patient Navigator has enabled wishes of many patients to be
granted. The "Wish Fund" was established to give the
patient and their family the "wish" of their choice. Trips,
meals, shows, etc...
In 2007,
Barnett Searing National Cancer Foundation donated funds to
support the Wish Fund. The Wish Fund has provided many
things for many people. For example, a Stage 4 patient
wanted to go to an Oriole’s Game, and the special fund
allowed the Patient Navigator to buy two box seat tickets
for the patient and his wife and treated the couple to a
night out with dinner and souvenirs. More recently the
Navigator delivered a special crab cake dinner to a patient
in hospice at home when he said that he would love “one last
crab cake”. The Wish Fund has been able to provide nights
on the town, fresh flower delivery, concert tickets and
getaways. This fund provides an invaluable gift to patients
during cancer treatment as well as end of life.
Lee’s Friends:
Helping People Live with Cancer
In 2006,
Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation donated to LEE’S
FRIENDS: Helping People Live with Cancer. The funds were
earmarked to support gynecologic cancer patients and their
families. This donation provided assistance to over 400
volunteers who offer much needed support to those dealing
with cancer in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and
Virginia Beach.
The Red
Devils
The Red
Devils is a Maryland-based charitable organization inspired
by the courage, grace and humor of 2 young women, Jessica
Cowling and Ginny Schardt, who refused to be defined by
their disease. The Red Devils fund services to improve the
quality of life for breast cancer patients and their
families.
In 2006,
with the help of the proceeds from the Caribbean Night, the
Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to help the Red Devils
further its expansion to the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
"The Eastern Shore expansion was initially made possible by a
grant from the Maryland Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen
Breast Cancer Foundation," said Red Devils President Lark
Schulze. "The additional support from the Barnett-Searing
Foundation will make the depth and breadth of our patient
services even greater." 1
The Foundation's main goal is to provide funding that will
assist both cancer patients and their families. "We were
drawn to The Red Devils because we share a common goal,"
said John E. Searing, co-chair of the Foundation's board of
directors. "We have been impressed by the number of people
that have been supported in Central Maryland and are
thrilled to partner with The Red Devils in their expansion
to the Eastern Shore."
For more
information on the Red Devils, please visit their website at
www.the-red-devils.org.
1
Excerpt taken directly from the Red Devils
Newsletter"
Sinai Hospital
The success of the 2005 Jenny Smith Baltimore Women’s Classic
5k provided the Foundation with the means to provide a
$20,000 grant to Sinai Hospital, located in Baltimore, MD.
The $20,000 donation was used to create a new staff
position, a Patient Navigator at The Lapidus Cancer
Institute at Sinai. The hospital will partner in this gift
and then will subsequently fund the position entirely.
The Patient Navigator is responsible for assisting oncology
patients and their caregivers through the continuum of care.
He/She will assess the patient's needs and link patients to
community agencies that provide housing, appropriate
oncology educational materials and social services. The
Navigator also initiates and maintains contacts with
community agencies that provide resources to patients.
The Patient Navigator provides support for the patient
through the following:
-
Contacts patients to schedule and reschedule missed
appointments.
-
Meets
with patients before they start chemotherapy or
radiation therapy.
-
Serves
as liaison between the treating physician and the
patient.
-
Identifies patients that need navigation and assistance
with barriers such as lack of insurance, financial
issues, need for personal support, language, and any
other problems that may arise during their cancer
treatment.
-
Retrieves medical records as needed.
-
Provides health education and community outreach.
-
Works
in conjunction with all members of the Cancer Committee,
medical staff and administration to provide quality
comprehensive care to patients, and ensure that barriers
to treatment are overcome.
-
Provides assistance with supportive care needs such as
prosthetics, wigs, durable medical equipment, etc.
The Navigator also assists with access issues such as:
insurance forms, financial forms, and arranging
transportation.
McGovern Oncology Support
Program
The success of the 2005 Caribbean Night allowed a
$5000 donation to be made to the McGovern Oncology Support
Program, part of GBMC’s Cancer Center.
When Dr. John M. McGovern, who was chief of GBMC’s
Obstetrics/Gynecology Service in the early 80’s, was
diagnosed and began treatment for cancer, he and his wife
became the force behind the development of GBMC’s Oncology
Support Program.
“When people think of support, they generally think of
support groups, but that’s just a small portion of what we
do,” says Donna Lewis (RN, MS, CPC, Program Manager).
Money is carefully distributed to
cancer patients and sometimes family for travel, food and
most importantly medications for those that can't afford it.
According to the GBMC brochure they also do psychosocial
support, counseling, coordination of home health services,
extended care placements and hospice services as needed for
patients. They also assist patients with referrals to
appropriate community resources.
Ovarian Cancer Center of
Excellence
In 2004, the success of the Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K
and Caribbean Night allowed the Foundation to make a
significant donation to the Johns Hopkins Ovarian Cancer
Center of Excellence. The donation was used to support
the creation of the Virtual Survivor Network website. The
purpose of the website is to provide support to patients by
being able to access others who are undergoing the same
tests and treatments. Hospital staff will also participate
and monitor chat-room postings for additional support, and
to stop any medical misinformation. Being a new endeavor,
the virtual survivor network will initially focus on serving
Hopkins patients. The site will eventually expand to a
larger audience. The following is an excerpt taken from the
Center’s website.
You don't have to face this disease alone. Here at the
Johns Hopkins Ovarian Cancer Center of Excellence, we want
to provide you with every available opportunity to not only
have the best comprehensive care, but support as well. We
recognize that not everyone has walked in your shoes - but
we can help you meet someone who has. Someone whose
diagnosis was the same, treatment was the same, and
challenges were the same. We encourage you to reach out to
other women who have battled ovarian cancer through our
online survivor network.
Our team of experts brings together the cutting edge
technological resources, expertise, and research of the
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and Johns Hopkins Kimmel
Cancer Center to offer a proactive and aggressive approach
to the treatment of women with ovarian cancer. We focus on
a comprehensive and holistic approach to deliver the best
possible care to our patients. For 24-hour
physician-to-physician consultation, contact the Hopkins
Access Line at (410) 955-9444. For information and
appointments, call (410) 955-6700 or visit the website at or
http://www.ovariancancercenter.org/survivors.
MD Anderson Cancer Center
In 2004, the Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation
donated funds to the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer
Center. The funds were designated for a clinical research
study conducted by Dr. Pedro Ramirez that had a goal of
determining if blood tests and CT scans for gynecologic
cancer patients could be utilized to determine the optimal
order of treatment. For example, the study hopes to
determine if chemotherapy followed by surgery would yield
greater results when the disease is at an advanced state.
GBMC
The success of the 2003
Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K allowed a sizable donation to
be made to the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC),
located in Towson, MD. Mary Barnett was a patient at GBMC.
The donation was used to furnish GBMC’s newly renovated
cancer center waiting area. Upon receiving the Foundation’s
donation, GBMC’s Dr. Gary Cohen said, “Support from donors,
such as you, is critical to maintaining the excellence that
our patients have come to expect and appreciate. We know
that the new waiting area, freshly painted and newly
furnished, will provide our patients and their families with
a more positive environment as they wait for appointments
and treatments.”
Stella Maris Hospice
In 2003, The Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation
made a donation to the Stella Maris Hospice program in
Timonium, Maryland. This donation was made to help Stella
Maris continue its valuable programming, which supports both
terminally ill patients and their families. Stella Maris’
Hospice program is offered to patients who have a life
threatening disease; that is, patients who have less than
six months to live.
Following is an account about the positive impact that
Stella Maria care has had. It was written by Courtney
Barnett in 2003:
At age 23, I have already had three very close
and personal experiences with the Stella Maris
Hospice program. I am the daughter of Mary
Barnett; one of the persons whom inspired The
Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation.
From ages 15 to 22, I learned a lot about the
Hospice program. My first two experiences were
due to my grandparent’s illnesses. My
grandmother lived with us during her hospice
care, until a week before her death. Her last
days were spent at Stella Maris. My grandfather
was in the Assisted Living section of a
retirement community. Hospice provided a social
worker, some nursing care, religious support,
and more. After these initial experiences, I can
say that the two words that come to mind
regarding hospice are “caring” and “respect”. My
father says that he doesn’t know what he would
have done if it had not been for the hospice
program at Stella Maris.
Unspeakably, we would need the support of
Hospice again for my mother’s care. There are so
many moments that I vividly remember from the
day I was told my mom had been diagnosed with
cancer. One moment I know I won’t forget was
when my father sat me down, shed a few tears,
and told me my mother’s oncologist had suggested
hospice that day. From my past experiences, I
knew then how much the cancer had progressed and
that, more than likely, I would not have a mom
much longer.
Once again, Hospice did wonders. The Hospice
nurse came to our home and immediately tended to
my mother. Realizing how uncomfortable and
anxious my mom was, she immediately made phone
calls to get a medication that could ease her
pain and anxiety, and ultimately calm her
breathing. We were able to give my mom a dose of
medicine within an hour.
During my mom’s illness and after her passing,
Hospice offered my whole family counseling.
Hospice offers single, family and group
counseling. This is a very positive aspect of
Hospice. It is so beneficial to the family
members to be able to talk to someone who
regularly assists those who are dealing with the
loss of a loved one. It helped me gain some
perspective on the feelings and emotions I was
experiencing. Programs such as these help
families continue with their lives, even if it
is minute by minute, day by day; and eventually,
year by year. |
Dana Farber Cancer
Institute
In 2002, the foundation gave the Dana Farber Cancer
Institute a donation to be applied to the research of Dr.
Ross Berkowitz in a gynecological cancer study. The
particular study focuses on the early diagnosis of the
disease through blood tests and other screening methods
before the advanced disease develops and thereby increasing
the treatment opportunity. |
