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 At
47, Martha Dodge was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I wasn’t afraid, but I didn’t realize the extent of the challenges that
I would have to endure,” said Dodge who underwent chemotherapy seven
days a week for two years, which she described as “the worst part for
me.”
Now Dodge is 79 - a breast cancer survivor for 32 years. She looks back
on her life and is grateful to have won her battle. And now she is
helping other women in the Fresno community face this deadly disease to
by being an advocate for better breast cancer care for all women.
“Breast cancer care is a complex and multi-step process requiring
multiple specialists. This complex process can contribute to disparities
in health care outcomes, especially among women of color, the uninsured
and underinsured,” explained Dr. Mathilda Ruwe, a specialist in breast
cancer research based at the Central Valley Health Policy at California
State University, Fresno.
To deal with these challenges, the Fresno Breast Cancer Navigator Pilot
Program has been established.
“The purpose of this pilot program is to assess the feasibility and
optimal design of a breast cancer navigator intervention at a Fresno
safety-net hospital, identified as University Medical Center (UMC),”
said Dr. Ruwe during today’s press conference.
Women at any stage of the breast cancer care process at UMC can be
paired with navigators who will help to guide them through the different
levels of care.
The project’s preliminary chart reviews, survivor interviews, and
stakeholder consultations indicate that:
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Women are getting lost in
the health care system.
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There are challenges with
care coordination due to the complexity of the system.
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Women who are uninsured
or on public insurance face greater challenges to care.
“It’s important to spread the
word that there is help out there,” said Dodge.
She is optimistic that the navigation program will help to guide women
through treatment so that they receive complete breast cancer care.
Following the press conference, the Fresno Breast Cancer Navigator Pilot
Program hosted a community luncheon where organization representatives
and community members were engaged in a purposeful, solution-focused
discussion to identify barriers and resources for complete breast cancer
care.
The Fresno Breast Cancer Navigator Pilot Program is funded by the
California Breast Cancer Research Program. The pilot program is a
community research collaboration with the Central Valley Health Policy
Institute at California State University, Fresno, San Joaquin Valley
Health Consortium, University Medical Center, University of California,
San Francisco-Fresno Department of Family and Community Medicine, as
well as community-based organizations, advocates and community members.
For more information, please contact Brandie Campbell at: 559.278.7940
or 559.994.3189.
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