(OMAHA) The Nebraska Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has awarded the University of Nebraska Medical Center a $65,000 grant that will train 10 to 15 more advocates to help women get appropriate early detection, treatment and follow-up breast cancer services.
The Community Breast Health Navigator and Cancer Support Program is designed to provide support for women being evaluated for, or 
undergoing diagnosis and treatment for, breast cancer at any hospital or clinic. Women trained as volunteer navigators can accompany women to appointments in Douglas County before proceeding with diagnostic or treatment recommendations.
The program is looking for women dealing with breast cancer who could benefit from the free program, as well as those who wish to be volunteer navigators.
Navigators serve as a second set of ears for patients and advise them on the best approaches they have learned are needed to obtain breast care that matches best practice national guidelines.
Last year, Komen funded a grant for $56,518, which trained 11 women. The program is the only one of its kind in the nation, said Edibaldo Silva, M.D., Ph.D., UNMC surgical oncologist and director of the navigator program.
“This program is unique in the nation. We are training navigators to recognize the best approaches to treating breast cancer,” Dr. Silva said. “It’s like bringing a family member or friend along to an appointment except the advocate is trained.
“Last year we had an overwhelming response from women in the community who stepped forward to be volunteer advocates. Now we want to train more. The program originally addressed disparities in African-American and Hispanic communities. It soon became clear that the issue of variation from best practice patterns is prevalent in all women.”
Co-directors of the grant, Phyllis Nsiah-Kumi, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine, and Jackie Hill, a nurse practitioner in the UNMC College of Public Health and breast cancer survivor, said the grant also helps improve the health literacy of patients — the ability to understand health-related information and make informed decisions.
Navigators complete a rigorous training course that focuses on breast cancer care guidelines supported by the latest medical research and recommended by national experts, as well as how to effectively communicate with patients and health providers.
For more information, go to www.