Press Release

Data Accrual Complete – CancerCare^® Patient Access and Engagement Study

CONTACT: Ellen Sonet, JD, MBA
esonet@cancercare.org
212-712-8351

NEW YORK, NY (December 15, 2015) – CancerCare, a national nonprofit organization that provides free psychosocial support, education and financial assistance to anyone affected by cancer, has achieved its goal of enrolling more than 3,000 adults who have been diagnosed with cancer into its landmark Patient Access and Engagement study.

Respondents were recruited from national consumer panels with the goal of achieving a representative sample of the United States cancer population. Closely mirroring United States demographics, 30 percent of survey respondents were from minority populations, including African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American and other non-white populations. As well, there is diversity among the sample in education and income levels.

“We made a very deliberate decision to gather insights from a broad and nationally representative sample of adults who had been diagnosed with cancer,” explained Patricia Goldsmith, CancerCare CEO. “While this added a level of complexity to the project, we wanted to be sure to explore the experiences of a diversity of Americans with cancer, not just those who have used our services or have actively expressed themselves online and through advocacy efforts.

Survey data is currently being analyzed and reviewed by CancerCare executives and advisory board members (listed below), examining topics that include access to care, participation in treatment planning and choices, communication and engagement with providers, insurance and financial issues, the impact of cancer on quality of life and issues related to survivorship.

The final report is expected to be released by the end of Q1 2016 and will be available publicly on the CancerCare website, www.cancercare.org. CancerCare has engaged Harborside Press, a health care information and communications company that specializes in oncology, to manage the survey process and development of the final report.

The project is being made possible by AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Helsinn Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, Incyte Corporation, Janssen Oncology, Lilly, Merck, PhRMA, and Pfizer.

The advisory board for this report includes the following renowned experts in oncology and patient engagement:

• Walter Baile, MD
  Professor, Department of Behavioral Science, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences; Director, Program for Interpersonal Communication And Relationship Enhancement (I*CARE), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX

• Ethan Basch, MD, MSc
  Director, Cancer Outcomes Research Program; Associate Professor, Medicine and Public Health, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center; Chapel Hill, NC

• Jimmie Holland, MD
  Wayne E. Chapman Chair in Psychiatric Oncology
  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, NY

• Marcia Kean, MBA
  Chairman, Strategic Initiatives
  Feinstein Kean Healthcare; Cambridge, MA

• Sandra Kurtin, RN, MSN, AOCN, ANP-C
  Adjunct Associate Professor
  The University of Arizona Cancer Center; Tucson, AZ

• Terry Langbaum, MHS
  Chief Administrative Officer
  Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center; Baltimore, MD

• Michael Parisi, MBA
  President, CancerCare Board of Trustees
  Managing Partner, Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide; New York, NY

• Lee Schwartzberg, MD, FACP
  Chief, Division of Hematology Oncology; The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Medical Director, The West Clinic; Memphis, TN

• Thomas Workman, PhD
  Principal Communication Researcher and Evaluator
  American Institutes for Research; Washington, DC

• Michael K. Wong, MD, PhD, FRCPC
  Berle and Lucy Adams Chair in Cancer Research; Professor of Clinical Medicine; Section Chief, Solid Tumor USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center; Los Angeles, CA

• Patricia Goldsmith
  Chief Executive Officer, CancerCare; New York, NY

• Ellen Sonet, MBA, JD
  Chief Strategy and Alliance Officer, CancerCare; New York, NY

About CancerCare^®

Founded in 1944, CancerCare is the leading national organization providing free, professional support services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical and financial challenges of cancer. CancerCare’s comprehensive services include counseling and support groups over the phone, online and in-person, educational workshops, publications and financial and co-payment assistance. All CancerCare services are provided by oncology social workers and world-leading cancer experts. Headquartered in New York, NY, CancerCare maintains three additional locations in Norwalk, CT, Ridgewood, NJ and Syosset, NY.

To learn more, visit www.cancercare.org or call 800-813-HOPE (4673).

Back to Press Releases