A new center to be located at Flowers Hospital will help people diagnosed with cancer.
"We can get them the most up-to-date information about their cancer," said Linda Anderson, health initiative representative with the local American Cancer Society. " ... Empowering them is what we like to say to take charge of their own health."
The Cancer Resource Center will be located on the fourth floor of the Doctors Center's south tower at Flowers Hospital in Dothan. It will be manned completely by volunteers, who will be trained on how to help patients get information about a specific cancer, how cancer is staged, clinical trials available and questions to ask their doctor.
The new center will open Dec. 7. The resource center will carry wigs, hats, scarves, specialty bras and prostheses as well as information on support groups.
The opportunity for a resource center actually came up when the American Cancer Society's current location on West Main Street was sold by the building's owner, and a new location had to be found by early December. It was decided the staff would work from their homes since their jobs require them to be in the field. But the society still had to find a place for its patient services.
American Cancer Society staff approached Flowers Hospital, and the hospital found space.
"They have tried this in other hospitals throughout the midsouth division and it has been very, very successful," said Missy Wright, community relations coordinator for Flowers Hospital.
The resource center will see patients from all over the Wiregrass and not just those who use Flowers Hospital.
One issue is the need for volunteers to man the center. Anderson will oversee the office in addition to her field work, but the Cancer Resource Center will be operated by volunteers. The office needs 25 volunteers. It currently has 10 volunteers.
There's no particular requirements to serve, and volunteers will be trained on how to handle phone calls and how use the computer to access information for patients. Volunteers can work a day a month, a day a week, half a day -- whatever schedule they want.
While someone who has had cancer may have more empathy, volunteers do not have to be cancer patients themselves.
"We need them to have compassion," Anderson said.
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Want to serve?
If you would like to volunteer at the American Cancer Society's Cancer Resource Center in Dothan, call Linda Anderson at 794-0600. The Cancer Resource Center will open Dec. 7 in the Doctor's Center at Flowers Hospital. Until the center gets enough volunteers, hours will be 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. To see more of The Dothan Eagle or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dothaneagle.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Dothan Eagle, Ala. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2009, Dothan Eagle, Ala.