OSF Cancer Support Services moves to a new location to better serve patients.
Life takes on a whole new meaning when someone we know and love is diagnosed with cancer. In addition to the physical effects of the disease, cancer creates countless social and emotional effects that resonate throughout various aspects of life.
The purpose of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center Cancer Support Services is to provide services for cancer patients and their families that effectively help them manage the physical and emotional side effects of cancer treatment and recovery. And now, those support services will be located in one convenient location in downtown Peoria at the Illinois Medical Center, 1001 Main Street, Suite 107.
In existence for several years, OSF Cancer Support Services has been kind of fragmented, providing services at different locations in and around OSF Saint Francis, says Tenille Oderwald, supervisor of nursing, patient care. The new location, expected to open in mid-March, will enable patients to come to one location to receive the support they need.
“We really want to be there for them during every aspect of their cancer treatment throughout the continuum of care,” Oderwald explains. “A cancer diagnosis is hard. We want to be their solid support throughout their journey—all the way to survivorship.”
The new location is very convenient, with parking directly out front. Having these services—including access to clinical and financial navigators, dietitians, classes, support groups, education and more—in one location means a better patient experience, adds Tom Cox, director of radiology, radiation therapy and cancer services.
“What we’d like, when it comes to cancer support, is that one-stop shop where we can meet the totality of the needs of any cancer patient and their family,” he notes. “We want everyone in our community to know that if they or their loved one are diagnosed, there’s all of this help available.”
OSF Cancer Support Services helps patients and families navigate through the cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery process. The belief is the more the patient understands and participates in their care, the more they become part of their own healthcare team. Specifically, patients and their families can find the following supportive care:
- Oncology psychosocial care;
- Information on living with cancer;
- Social and emotional support;
- Social connectedness;
- Education programs designed to empower; and
- Wellness programs aimed at strengthening one’s mind as well as one’s body.
“A cancer diagnosis turns a person’s life upside down,” Cox says. “With this move, and in partnership with all of the providers, we are able to centralize the process of receiving support and not have it be so fragmented. It’s about making the path through the cancer journey as easy as possible for the patient and their family.” iBi
OSF Cancer Support Services is located at the Illinois Medical Center, 1001 Main St., Suite 107, Peoria. To learn more, call (309) 308-0200 or visit osfsaintfrancis.org/cancer-support-services.