STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
The Breaking Barriers to Care program has grown significantly since it was first discussed in 2022. Part of the growth has been fueled by the annual Care Power Hour, which is a key fundraiser for Breaking Barriers to Care.
The third Care Power Hour is Friday at 11:30 a.m. in the T.J. Health Pavilion Community room. The event features cancer patients who have been aided by the program, as well as those who have been treated at T.J. Regional Health Oncology. View the graphic below for how to purchase tickets.
In early 2022, a conversation started that led to the creation of the Breaking Barriers to Care program now offered to patients of T.J. Regional Health Oncology.
Amy Stephens, as the nurse navigator for the oncology program, has the role of helping cancer patients access the resources they need to get through their treatment processes, removing as many barriers to those resources as possible along the way.
Not long after Community Medical Care, a locally based nonprofit organization, was merged under the umbrella of the T.J. Community Mission Foundation, she went to Randy Burns, executive director of the foundation, to discuss some of the challenges she routinely saw, and they identified two primary ones.
One of those is the cost of nutritional-supplement drinks that are often prescribed by the doctors specializing in cancer care – oncologists – as patients go through chemotherapy or radiation treatments, because they need to keep up their calorie and nutrition intake, and the other is transportation to and from scheduled medical appointments.
Since its inception, the Breaking Barriers to Care program, operated by Community Medical Care, has provided essential support to oncology patients of T.J. Regional Health, ensuring that financial challenges do not stand in the way of necessary treatment and recovery resources.
Designed to serve patients with household incomes at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, this program offers vital assistance to those without other means to afford the costs associated with cancer care. Each qualified recipient may receive:
• Up to $200.00 per month for nutritional and transportation needs.
• Up to $300.00 for specific one-time needs, such as post-surgical recovery supplies.
Program Impact to Date
To date, a total of $48,618 in services and products has been provided directly to 241 Breaking Barriers to Care recipients. This has included:
• 16 Wigs supplied to patients experiencing hair loss due to treatment.
• 805 Gas Cards distributed, ensuring patients could travel to and from their oncology appointments without the burden of fuel costs.
• 21 Post-Mastectomy Supply Kits provided, including essential items such as prostheses, bras, camisoles, sleeves, gloves, and gauntlets.
• 667 Cases of Supplemental Nutritional Drinks, helping patients maintain strength and nourishment during their cancer journey.
• 46 Rides to Treatment arranged for patients without personal transportation options.
Removing Obstacles, Restoring Hope
The Breaking Barriers to Care program continues to ease the financial and logistical strain on cancer patients by providing these crucial services. From nutritional support and transportation to specialized recovery products, the program ensures that patients can focus on healing — not on how to afford the care they need. Thanks to this initiative, many patients have faced fewer barriers, improved their treatment experience, and been given renewed hope during one of the most challenging times of their lives.
The cancer survivors profiled this year are John Shannon, Carolyn Sue Carroll, Alex Jerome Hatcher, Patti Page and keynote speaker Daryl Murphy. Find their stories here.
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