Pittsburgh Review

The Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute (AHNCI) has launched a new initiative called the Community Cancer Patient Ambassador Program. This program, unique to Western Pennsylvania, is designed to provide support for cancer patients across all disease lines by pairing them with volunteer patient ambassadors who have successfully navigated their own cancer journeys at AHN.

The aim of the program is to address the emotional and practical challenges faced by cancer patients and their families. It seeks to reduce feelings of social isolation and anxiety often associated with a cancer diagnosis, thereby improving the overall patient experience.

Terri Ronald, program manager of the AHNCI Community Cancer Patient Ambassador program and a three-time cancer survivor, emphasized the importance of this initiative: “A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and, as a cancer survivor myself, I feel strongly that cancer patients must have support beyond the hospital’s walls.” She added that while ambassadors are not medical professionals, they provide hope, strength, and practical advice.

The ambassadors in this program undergo extensive training to ensure they offer sensitive and appropriate support. They draw upon their personal experiences with cancer diagnoses at AHN to provide guidance and empathy. Ambassadors commit to maintaining patient confidentiality while respecting the boundaries of the patient-physician relationship.

Since its inception in August, over two dozen volunteer ambassadors have been recruited. These individuals assist patients receiving care at AHN’s Cancer Institute in Western Pennsylvania and beyond. The program allows each ambassador to support up to three different patients simultaneously if necessary.

Rachel Machen, a breast cancer patient ambassador from Oakmont shared her experience: “It felt surreal when my first mammogram at the age of 40 led to a breast cancer diagnosis... I wish I had an ambassador to reach out to while I was on my journey from diagnosis to surgery.”

Patients who choose to participate will be paired with an ambassador who has experienced a similar diagnosis and stage. The meetings between patients and ambassadors can occur virtually or in person depending on proximity.

David Bartlett, MD, chair of the AHN Cancer Institute stated: “At the AHN Cancer Institute, we understand that cancer care extends far beyond medical treatment... The Patient Ambassador program fills this critical gap.”

Individuals interested in becoming a Community Cancer Patient Ambassador can contact AHN for more information via email at cancerambassadors@ahn.org.