Cancer Patient Navigation

When I first decided to get involved as a facilitator for a Cancer Support Group I didn't think it would be to difficult or time consuming, I was wrong on both counts. Advertising the group and getting the word out by posting flyer's, approaching our Local Cancer Treatment Center, Radiation Oncology, various doctor's offices and media exposure took a lot of thought, time and effort.
Once we got going I was often concerned we wouldn't have anyone participate and other times I was amazed at the turnout.
Despite having the backing of the sponsoring hospital, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and the local Livestrong Army of the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley often our turnout is as few as three or four.
Amanda my co-facilitator always tells me not to worry or get stressed out, that helping just one or two folks is certainly worthwhile. She of course is right, yet I still think of all the people living with cancer in this valley. I think of those recently diagnosed, those that are going through treatment, and those that have finished treatment but still have cancer in their thoughts on a daily basis. It is these folks along with there family, friends and care givers that we are concerned about.
As Lance Armstrong would say, I am fulfilling the obligation of the survivor. Only a person that is going through cancer or one such as myself that has survived truly know what the "journey" is all about.
When we get together as a full group we have the knowledge of the entire journey from the beginning to the present, the decisions we have made along the way, how we lead our lives, how our lives have been affected, and what we do differently.
We have had members that return for each meeting, some that come once in awhile, several that have come for awhile and not returned, and some who have lost their battle, yet still remain in our thoughts and prayers. Each time we have a meeting, and it gets underway I close my eyes for a moment and think of those people, who they are, what they meant to us, and how important what they taught us is.
It is difficult for me to think that for every minute we meet someone loses their battle with cancer and three or four new cases are diagnosed. It never stops, it goes on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. it is indiscriminate, it strikes everywhere from the young--our beautiful children to the seniors in our society. Each and every individual has a story to tell. Part of the Livestrong Notebook has a booklet with Stories of the Survivors, wonderful stories that offer hope, stories of strength and courage. Then there are the unpublished stories the ones that end with a long heroic battle with this unrelenting disease.
In addition to the Livestrong Support Group I'm now learning about Patient Navigation, and actually working with just a couple of group members requiring this type of assistance. Patient Navigation to me is entirely different than my role with the Support Group, and most importantly and difficult is that it takes me inside the story. I am no longer a spectator, I become a part of the story, living what the patient and their family lives day by day. Often times I will tell you it's the toughest, most emotional thing I have ever done, other times the rewards are enormous.
This last year or so I've been involved with the Support Group and with Patient Navigation has taught me so much more than just what I've read in the guides/textbooks and on-line courses. It has taught me about the incredible strength of the people living their lives each day with cancer. It has taught me about the strength of their families, and how they get through each day.
There are many "wishes' that I have in this life of mine, some are selfish, many are not. At the top of my list for the future is that my wife's beautiful little grandchildren will grow up in a world where cancer is no longer a killer but a disease that we deal with as we live our lives, and that someday in the future maybe their own grandchildren will not know the word cancer.

Can you imagine a world of the future where a child walks up to his/her mom and says mommy what is this word cancer I found in my book, mom replies "that is something people use to get, but not anymore".
In the meantime over 600,000 folks will lose their battle this year in the US alone, and over 2 million will be diagnosed. I feel the "responsibility of the survivor" to help as many as I can through this difficult journey.