Q. Why is a patient navigator helpful to a cancer patient?
A. A cancer patient encounters a lot of unfamiliar obstacles as they proceed along the path from diagnosis, to treatment to survivorship; they include insurance coverage, treatment options and their side effects, getting a second opinion, and clinical trials. We help the patient better understand and navigate these issues.

Q. What was your training to become a patient navigator?
A. First, you need local knowledge about the East End of Long Island -- who are the doctors, nurses and community service organizations. I’ve lived on the East End for over 30 years, so that part comes naturally. Fortunately, I also had training at the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute, a division of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention to become a cancer patient navigation specialist.

Q. What did you learn from being trained at the Freeman Institute?
A. As you can imagine, I needed to be prepared for hundreds of calls a week from cancer patients. I learned the biology basics of all types of cancer, the standard treatment options for each (and their side effects) and something about new cutting edge therapies. I also learned about clinical trials and how to help patients develop a coping strategies for themselves. All of that has been useful training for my role at Fighting Chance.

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