Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) recently awarded a $50,000 grant to the Program in Women's Oncology at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island for the creation of a Woman to Woman patient to patient mentoring program at the hospital.
Woman to Woman, sponsored nationally by QVC, pairs gynecologic cancer patients with survivors, supporting women and their families through all phases of treatment, recurrence and recovery. The program will begin at Women & Infants in 2014.
"Being diagnosed with any type of cancer can be traumatic and can leave a patient feeling like no one truly understands her fears and anxiety," said Katina Robison, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with the Program in Women's Oncology who will oversee Woman to Woman with Diane Thompson, director of Social Services for the Program. "Through Woman to Woman, gynecologic cancer patients at Women & Infants will receive vital emotional support and mentoring from our survivors.
"The result is an improved quality of care for these women. They will also feel more empowered to advocate for themselves going forward."
Each woman participating in the program will receive free materials designed by OCRF specifically for Woman to Woman. The materials include comprehensive information about gynecologic cancer treatment and survivorship.
"Our goal at the Program in Women's Oncology is to give women whatever it is they need to make their cancer journey easier," said Cornelius "Skip" Granai III, MD, director of the Program in Women's Oncology. "That's a very personal need and might mean having an appointment for acupuncture, joining a poetry workshop or sitting with a survivor who understands the emotional and physical difficulties of a cancer journey.
"We are thrilled that Ovarian Cancer Research Fund has given our patients this opportunity."
Thompson added that the Woman to Woman Program will be available for women who want to meet face to face, but will also tap social media to connect women.
"We are in the golden age of electronics, which will help us make the Woman to Woman experience available to more isolated women through any medium they have. We have young patients who are blogging, older women who text throughout the night because they have only each other," she explains.
To learn more about participating in the OCRF Woman to Woman Program or about oncology services at Women & Infants, go to the Program in Women's Oncology or call (401) 453-7520.