How OhioHealth Navigators Are Guiding Cancer Patients Through Life’s Toughest Battles
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is life-changing and can be extremely overwhelming for patients and their families. While patients are expected to focus on improving their health and getting proper treatment, there is also a large emotional and financial burden that comes with each diagnosis.
Mary Garcia is a patient at OhioHealth, living with three different cancers at once – thyroid cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. At age 41, she was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer, then a few years later, she received an additional diagnosis of lung cancer. This past spring, at age 59, she was told that she had melanoma in her lymph nodes. In that moment, she was left feeling completely overwhelmed.
"I was hoping to subtract. Let's get something off the table here. But, no,” Garcia told Zach Tuggle at Mansfield News Journal.
Many patients struggle with deciding what the next steps are after getting diagnosed, so OhioHealth has prioritized a team of oncology navigators to help manage the process. Gillian Garverick, a social work navigator, manages the social and emotional needs of each patient and helps to connect them with resources.
"If a patient were to come and say, 'I can't afford rent, I can't get groceries, I can't get to my appointments,' I'd be the go-to to help them get connected with local resources," Garverick said.
"It does get expensive," Garcia said. "I have no income other than very minimal, which is not even enough to pay the bills."
Healthcare related questions can be addressed by Tammy McChristy-Weaver, an oncology nurse navigator. She helps explain to patients what medical terminology means and what the next steps are, while also providing a supportive atmosphere.
"One of those barriers is health literacy," McChristy-Weaver said. "They know the word 'cancer,' but what does that look like for me? How do I go from point A to point B?”
Depending on the patient, the support needed can look completely different. "Most of our patients really struggle with getting past the initial diagnosis and can't take the next steps. That's where we come in,” McChristy-Weaver said.
After leaving the hospital, many patients wonder how they will afford their bills, pay for necessities or get to their appointments. OhioHealth provides financial assistance to help decrease this financial burden.
Garcia said that a big help in her journey has been the gas gift cards provided by the team. She keeps each one to remind her of the blessings in her life.
"This is a path that I have to walk, and I don't have a choice, but there are people out there willing to help," Garcia said. "I've always been told God sends somebody to your door for a reason, and I believe that. He sent me my angels, that's for sure."
