Earlier this year, BHF announced a grant of over a quarter-million dollars to establish Cancer Support Community South Central Indiana (CSCSCI) in collaboration with Cancer Support Community Central Indiana. Now, CSCSCI has forged a partnership with IU Health Bloomington Hospital to cultivate a more robust support network for oncology patients throughout the region.
Cancer Support Community (CSC) is a global non-profit network with 175 locations, including Central Indiana and the new South Central Indiana satellite chapter. CSC specializes in offering non-clinical support for cancer patients, their families, and their caregivers by providing free wellness classes, counseling, a toll-free helpline, educational resources, and more.
“With CSC[SCI] taking over all support services, our nurses will be able to concentrate on patient navigation and increase the number of patients they can provide services for,” said IU Health Olcott Center Nurse Manager and Clinical Educator Terri Acton, RN, BSN, MS, CN-BN, OCN, CMF.
The Olcott Center, named after late philanthropist, community leader, and breast cancer survivor, Joan Olcott, opened in 2002 to connect local cancer patients with resources throughout their treatment. Historically, Olcott Nurse Navigators have performed many of these non-clinical support services in addition to nurse navigation.
In a joint statement with CSC Central Indiana, IU Health Bloomington Hospital said that “IU Health is proud that [The Olcott Center’s] legacy will live on and expand.”
Like the Olcott Center, CSCSCI will serve patients throughout the region including Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Brown, Orange, Greene, Daviess, Martin, Washington, Jackson, and Lawrence counties.
“This partnership has been nearly three years in the making, and we are very excited to now have two full-time [CSCSCI] team members in the community. Being able to provide cancer patients and their families with free services and programs of support, education, and hope is our sole goal,” said CSC Central Indiana President and CEO Eric Richards.
BHF’s grant and agreement provided funding for CSCSCI staff, services, and also included licensure of the beloved annual 5k walk/run, Hoosiers Outrun Cancer. Funds raised from Hoosiers Outrun Cancer will support the work of CSCSCI.
For more information and to register for the 22 nd annual event, set to take place on September 25, visit HoosiersOutrunCancer.org.
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