PanCAN’s new Health Equity Committee brings together a diverse group focused on one goal: advancing health equity for all people affected by pancreatic cancer. This is a complex endeavor, but one that is essential to PanCAN’s mission. Here are some of the group’s members and what motivates them to do their work.
Empowering patients with knowledge
Dr. Fabienne Ehivet, MS, CGC, a certified genetic counselor at Emory Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, explains how genetic risk factors can impact patients and their families. I’m talking to you.
Fabienne is particularly passionate about raising awareness of the benefits of genetic counseling in the Black community. Generations of systemic racism have made many people wary of genetic testing and counseling.
“There’s a lot of mistrust in the medical field,” she says. “I’m worried about discrimination. Unfortunately, fear of being taken advantage of or not being cared for can affect my interest in undergoing genetic counseling or genetic testing.”
Her role as a genetic counselor is to not only provide information but also support patients through the process. This opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people affected by cancer is what drew her to the field.
“It’s about helping, being there for them, teaching them, and spending time with them,” she says. “The process of being diagnosed with cancer can be confusing. We try to help them understand everything.”
Read more about Fabienne.
PanCAN Advocate
Pancreatic cancer survivor Theona Ducret is dedicated to raising awareness about the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer. And she wants everyone, especially those in the Black community, to feel empowered to ask questions and advocate for themselves.
“Advocate, advocate, advocate,” she said. “Members of the Black community often put the needs of others first. We must prioritize our own health and needs to live longer, better, healthier lives. there is.”
After receiving her own diagnosis in 2016, she immediately turned to PanCAN. She met with a case manager who discussed her treatment options and provided her with a list of pancreatic cancer specialists in her area. She also joined PanCAN’s Know Your Tumor® precision service. Looking back, she feels grateful that her cancer was caught early and that surgery was an option.
Currently, she is focused on helping people suffering from pancreatic cancer. In addition to completing her term on PanCAN’s Survivors Council, she has appeared on her PanCAN public service announcements and served as a panelist on a webinar focused on pancreatic cancer in the Black community. .
Teona is optimistic about where we are headed, even though she knows there is still much work to do.
“We have progressed step by step,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to know that I, along with so many others, played a role in getting there. And we’re still going.”
Read more about Teona.
Promoting fair access to health care
Nicolette Juliana Rodriguez, MD, MPH is on the front lines of making critical health care more accessible to everyone. She received her PanCAN Catalyst Award for her REGENERATE research, which stands for Racial/Ethnic Equity in Genetic Education, Risk Assessment, and Testing. This study aims to understand how Black and Latino/a/x/ people think about genetic education and genetic testing to improve access to genetic care and make it more equitable. The goal is to.
This cause is personal to Dr. Rodriguez, a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an early career researcher in the Division of Cancer Genetics and Prevention at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“As a first-generation Latino, this is a project that is really near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I have seen firsthand the challenges my family has in interacting with the health care system. And I want to learn: Black and Latino people at risk for pancreatic cancer/ How can we make cancer prevention care more accessible to a/x patients?”
Read more about Dr. Rodriguez.
Ongoing commitment to patients and families
Rod Williams joined PanCAN after losing his brother-in-law Andre to an illness. He believes patient services meet an important need for patients and families, especially those who may face barriers to accessing health care.
“[PanCAN has] “We have a great network of staff in place to provide important information,” he said. “Having a support system of caregivers, family, friends, medical professionals, and patient advocates is critical to meeting and managing the needs of this patient population.”
As a member of PanCAN’s Board of Directors, he has been inspired by the organization’s continued efforts to reach people in underserved communities. Part of his motivation for joining was a commitment to health equity.
“I am very excited to see PanCAN increase its educational outreach efforts to Black and Latinx communities,” he said. “I strongly believe that the many initiatives that PanCAN continues to fund through grants and advanced research are contributing to sustained improvements in survival rates for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Masu.”
It takes a village to accomplish these things, Rod said, and PanCAN is lucky to have a village stronger than ever.
“What’s really exciting for me is that the continued commitment from our volunteers, donors, and industry partners will enable PanCAN to support innovations that improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients.”
Hear more from Rod in a recent PanCAN webinar.
