To the editor,
The yellow jackets are Canadian Cancer Society - Cancer Centre Clinic Volunteers.
These trained volunteers support patients, care-givers, family members and staff within the Regional Cancer Care Program at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
These empathic and caring individuals provide general support to those accessing the cancer centre, through friendly visiting, way finding, hospitality services, providing general cancer related information, and by connecting patients, caregivers and family alike, to specific and appropriate CCS, RCCP and community based programs and services.
At each visit to the cancer centre, patients are asked to complete a symptom information assessment (ESAS).
This assessment helps the patient’s health-care team obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the individual’s overall health, all throughout the entire diagnostic and treatment phase of their cancer journey.
Canadian Cancer Society Volunteers are able to support any cancer patients completing the assessments during their visit, through assisting them at the kiosk where the information is entered into a touch screen system.
This volunteer assistance not only provides some comfort – having a caring and friendly individual help the patient through the process – it also is an invaluable service to those who may not be as comfortable with technology, to those who may have difficulty with reading the screen due to visual challenges or language barriers, and to those who are using the system for the first time.
The Canadian Cancer Society – Cancer Centre Clinic Volunteers also play a key role in introducing new cancer patients, care-givers and family to the cancer centre, and to important available information, programs and services.
Through the New Patient and Family Orientation Program, at their first visit to the cancer centre, each new patient is met by a clinic volunteer who provides the patient with a package of information designed to serve as a resource throughout the entire cancer journey.
The volunteer will outline some key Canadian Cancer Society and Regional Cancer Care Program services the patient may require right away – or, at a future time.
The clinic volunteer will highlight services such as the Volunteer Driver Program, the Peer Support Program, the 1-888-939-3333 Cancer Information Service, and for patients from outside of Thunder Bay, the Regional Travel Assistance Program & TBay Tel Tamarack House.
Patients will then be informed about some of the various key areas in the cancer centre.
They will be offered a tour that can be arranged after their oncology appointment, and then be escorted to the Supportive Care Department where they will next meet with a friendly clinician who will inform them about additional emotional, financial, nutritional, smoking cessation, and other services that can be accessed to support patients, family members and care-givers.
The contribution of the Canadian Cancer Society – Cancer Centre Clinic Volunteers provide a wonderful example of what can be achieved through forging strong partnerships, with individuals and organizations, working collaboratively to achieve excellence in their missions – and specifically – eradicating cancer, and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer.
The Volunteers wearing the yellow jackets do so with pride, dedication, and compassion.
These wonderful Canadian Cancer Society Volunteers, each day, continue to support patients, care-givers, family members, and cancer centre staff throughout tens of thousands of cancer patient visits each year at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Rob Gaunt,
Canadian Cancer Society
