Campus Life

Cancer patients and families benefit from Patient Navigator Program

Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute has partnered with the American Cancer Society to provide a new resource to patients from the time of diagnosis, through treatment, into survivorship.

A trained American Cancer Society patient navigator (a cancer education and support specialist) is available to help patients and their families identify and use the various American Cancer Society resources, treatment services and support services that they need to receive the best cancer treatment possible. As the cancer experience is different for each patient, American Cancer Society patient navigators connect patients and caregivers with the most appropriate programs and services to help improve each individual’s access to health care and to help them on their journey to get well.

Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute's patient navigator works in partnership with a patient’s cancer care team to connect him to programs and services available at Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, through American Cancer Society, and in the community. Some of the ways the patient navigator can provide personalized cancer care include:

  • Coordinating transportation to and from treatment
  • Understanding medical terms and treatment options
  • Finding answers to questions about financial and insurance needs
  • Locating local support groups

Contact Damaris Perez, the patient navigator at Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, at 717-531-0003, ext. 289730, from Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by e-mailing Damaris.Perez@cancer.org.

To download the American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program brochure, visit http://www.pennstatehershey.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=121939&name=DLFE-24904.pdf online.

The American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program at Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute is supported by AstraZeneca.

Last Updated April 22, 2010

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