[1]Wellness Community Selected for Prestigious National Research Project.
The Wellness Community of Southwest Florida (TWC) was selected to participate in the demonstration phase of a research project initiated by the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM is an independent non-profit organization.
[2]The Wellness Community was selected for this project by their parent organization, the Cancer Support Community, an international non-profit dedicated to providing support, education and hope to people affected by cancer, due to its “Center of Excellence” status, the national organization’s highest honor, and its success at administering research projects.
Through this new research project, the Cancer Support Community and the local TWC will partner with the IOM to strengthen the link between medical and emotional health. Backed by evidence that the best cancer care includes emotional and social support, the organization is leading the charge to define and implement a new standard of cancer care.
“The Wellness Community is honored to participate in a national research project of this magnitude,” said Jay Lockaby, TWC President and CEO. “We strive to stay on the front lines in the battle against cancer, and one way we do is by offering educational programs relevant to our patients and their families. We are pleased to be able to present another Cost of Cancer Care workshop this summer as part of our Frankly Speaking About Cancer series.”
Cancer care often provides the most advanced medical treatments, yet the IOM found that it routinely failed to address the equally as important psychological and social problems associated with the illness; this is thought to be the biggest gap in cancer services today. The Wellness Community of Southwest Florida is one of only a handful of organizations that addresses these issues, issues such as the effects of serious financial strain on a cancer patient.
Medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., and financial strain leaves both patients and their family members vulnerable to posttraumatic stress syndrome according to the results from a pilot study. When coping with cancer’s financial impact, “warning bell” symptoms such as extreme levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems are common, yet go mostly undiagnosed and untreated. The upcoming Screening Demonstration Research Project will help to identify these symptoms, and then match available services to the specific symptom.
The Screening Demonstration Research Project process is patient-friendly – taking only about 15 minutes to complete. TWC’s patients answer quality-of-life questions using a touch-screen tablet, their answers are compiled electronically and then a “prescription” for various types of support is generated in real-time. The answers are critical because, left untreated, depression, anxiety and stress can hinder a cancer patient’s compliance with prescribed treatment plan, further reduce energy and resilience, and dramatically affect quality of life at all stages of the disease.
The IOC report is a resounding endorsement of the need for and value of the services provided by The Wellness Community. For more information, please contact TWC at (941) 951.5539 or www.wellness-swfl.org [3].
Photo Caption: Wellness Community’s “SupportScreen” Tablet
About The Wellness Community:
The Wellness Community (TWC) is a non-profit organization that provides support, education and hope for people affected by cancer, empowering them to fight for recovery and improve the quality of their lives. TWC programs are always 100% FREE of charge and held in a home-like facility where participants and their loved ones can meet other participants and share coping mechanisms. Our programs are funded entirely by philanthropic contributions and grants. There is no charge for any services provided by TWC. Since 1996, more than 9,000 individuals have made more than 60,000 visits to TWC in Sarasota and at satellite locations throughout the area.
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