NEW CASTLE Jameson hospital joins effort to treat poor cancer patients

Disadvantaged persons often don't get help early enough, a doctor said.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Jameson Memorial Hospital is collaborating with four hospitals, several community-based organizations and local health-care providers led by UPMC McKeesport Hospital to improve access and outcomes for poor people with cancer.
A $5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute is intended to address racial and socioeconomic disparity in radiation therapy for cancer patients. UPMC McKeesport is one of four hospitals across the country to receive money this year through the grant.
A consortium, called the Radiation Oncology Community Outreach Group, will be based at UPMC McKeesport and includes Jameson, Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Somerset Hospital in Somerset, Allegheny Cancer Institute facility in Somerset, UPMC Lee Hospital and the John P. Murtha Pavilion, both in Johnstown, a news release says.
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"We are very excited to be part of this consortium," said Dr. Julian Proctor, medical director, radiation oncology at Jameson. "Patients in our region experience significant barriers to seeking care. As a result, we often see patients after their disease has progressed, when it is much more difficult to treat successfully. This consortium will create new opportunities for patients, families and communities to seek and receive the care they need and deserve."
Several cancer institutes and community and faith-based organizations are participating in the program.
Some of the program's innovations include providing transportation for rural patients, creating a neighborhood-based cancer survivor buddy system, and assisting with child or senior care during treatment.