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Outreach and Education
Lynn Ross, RN, BSN, CTR, is a registrar at Rutherford Hospital; she is also the
cancer program director and as such she has worked with a team
of people to create a cancer program that not only treats
patient’s physical needs but also provides them support after
they have completed their treatment. Ross has worked with her
team to ensure that cancer cases are not only reported but that
information is disseminated throughout the hospital and the
community. As such she and her team have been instrumental in
not only educating physicians and laypeople of the importance of
the cancer registry team and their contributions to the cancer
center but also in educating and assisting cancer survivors and
the general public.
Prevention is the Name of the Game
As part of Ross’ team, Darla Kleiner, cancer education
coordinator, goes out into the community to provide cancer
education and prevention information appropriate for age, gender,
and ethnic background. Anyone in the community is welcome but a
major target group is the uninsured and underinsured persons in
the community. Oral, prostate, breast, testicular, and colon
screenings are provided. Kleiner explained one situation where
this program helped a patient detect a problem area before it
spread, “At one screening a man came up at the end of the
session and asked to see one of our doctors. During the
examination it was discovered that this man did have a lesion
suspicious for melanoma; the area was biopsied and was indeed
melanoma. He was quickly treated and is now recovering. He is
one of many believers that early detection is vital and cancer
screenings can save lives!”
Look Good and Feel Better
Ross’ team has also built a Look Good / Feel Better Parlor
through the assistance of the American Cancer Society (ACS).
This is a place where patients can have questions answered, they
can choose wigs and other beauty products, as well as get
support from staff. The Look Good / Feel Better Parlor has
really been a community effort. “In many cases survivors come
out of surgery needing to wear drainage tubes to promote
healing. Volunteers make cloth bags to hold these tubes so they
are concealed and patients can go out in public and not feel
self conscience,” stated Ross. Other items, such as special
pillows for mastectomy patients and hand made turbans are also
available to help survivors feel emotionally and physically
comfortable while their bodies heal. Ross continued, “I am
really proud of the work we are doing here and to be a part of
our cancer program; we truly are a team. I have a great group of
folks to work with and we have accomplished a number of things
in our community.” |
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Lynn Ross, Registrar and Cancer Program Director
Darla Kleiner, Cancer Education Coordinator, leads an education
session |
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