Description
The Society is conducting a capital campaign-'Build.hope. Touch lives'-to build and operate Hope Lodge Houston, which will be our area's first and only no-cost, high quality residential facility exclusively for cancer patients who travel to Houston for treatment but have no lodging.
The Lodge will provide access to Houston’s renowned medical providers, while easing the high costs of cancer care. We have worked with cancer care centers in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) to determine the Lodge's need, best location, size, and array of support services. The facility will be located at 7505 Almeda Road in the TMC, on property donated by the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Population Served
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General / Adults / Children and Youth (infants - 19 years.)
Program Long-Term Success
To meet the needs of patients and of our area’s numerous cancer care centers, Houston’s 5-story, 76,000 square foot facility will be the nation’s largest. At capacity, it will provide approximately 23,000 nights of free lodging at a combined savings to patients of over $2M/year.
Besides easing cancer’s financial burdens, the Lodge will ensure optimal health and safety of residents with: 1)Common areas, i.e. 2 kitchens, a dining and living room, library with Internet access, an exercise room, chapel, and personal laundry facilities; 2) Individually air conditioned/heated suites, private ADA bathrooms, daily housekeeping of common areas; 3)Voluntary opportunities for patients to benefit by the TMC’s many clinical trials; and 4)Access to our region-wide patient/family services.
We plan to raise $25.5M of our $30M goal and break ground by the end of 2013. We will raise the balance of our $30M goal and open the Lodge by the start of 2015.
Description
The American Cancer Society (the Society) offers no-cost services to cancer patients, families, and caregivers, e.g.: 1)Patient navigation, including phone-based assitance at our Patient Service Center, where navigators serve callers most in need by providing one-on-one counseling and medical, insurance, and social service information. We also offer face-to-face navigation for indigent patients at Ben Taub General Hospital; 2)Personal Health Manager kits to provide diagnosis-specific assistance to new cancer patients at their treatment sites; 3)Free or discounted hotel rooms as needed and available during treatment; 4)Patient transportation via taxi or trained volunteer drivers to and from treatment; 5)Recovery seminars and items, e.g. wigs, scarves, and make-up; 6)Patient support groups and mentoring from trained volunteers; 7)A toll-free, multi-lingual, 24-hour cancer information/assistance line at 1-800-ACS-2345 and a comprehensive website at www.cancer.org.
Population Served
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General / Adults / Children and Youth (infants - 19 years.)
Program Long-Term Success
The Society's patient service goals are to to serve a minimum of 12,000 patients, family members, and caregivers annually.
Major changes include decreasing suffering along with the financial burdens of cancer, increasing the quality of life and recovery rates for persons with all types of cancer, and ultimately improving our medical and economic health by reducing cancer as a major health problem.
Our hotel and transportation programs increase each patient's access to care and chances for recovery. Our other services do the same through vital, research-based information in organized, user-friendly formats, and through mentoring and counseling to guide patients and caregivers through what is often an overwhelming time.
Our patient services also provide excellent opportunities for volunteers, many of whom are cancer survivors. The Society depends upon hundreds of volunteers who assist us with patient services and fundraising each year.
Description
The American Cancer Society contributes more money toward cancer research than any organization except the US Government. Within the Gulf Coast community alone, the Society funds $15-20 million in research grants in any given year at major local cancer research and treatment centers. Our funded research funded has played a significant role in nearly every major advance in the fight against cancer, including chemotherapy, the widespread acceptance of Pap tests and mammograms, genetic testing, and targeted cancer therapies such as Avastin and Herceptin. Society-funded research established the link between tobacco smoke and lung cancer in the 1960s. Through a rigorous, peer review process, the Society selects innovative researchers who present scientifically based yet innovative research projects. This selection policy has proven highly successful, and 44 of our grantees have gone on to win the Nobel prize.
Population Served
Females, all ages or age unspecified / Males, all ages or age unspecified /
Program Long-Term Success
Our annual goals for our research program are to: 1)Continue to raise funds that will allow our region to receive $15-20 million dollars each year for local area cancer research centers, including the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, the UT Medical Branch in Galveston, the UT Health Science Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and others, and 2) To ensure that these funds are awarded to bright, innovative researchers who are the ones most likely to discover cancer causes and treatment breakthroughs that might not otherwise be discovered.
Description
Knowledge empowers people to reduce their cancer risk through healthy lifestyle choices. It also helps patients and their families make wise treatment decisions. The American Cancer Society's educational programs reach large audiences through our partnerships with employers, healthcare providers, assistance agencies, and faith-based organizations. Last year, these relationships helped us to reach 500,000+ people in our area with messages about detecting cancer early and preventing it from occurring.
Activities included campaigns such as the annual Great American Smokeout and events surrounding breast and prostate health awareness. For example, “Let’s Talk About It,†a presentation delivered in various faith-based settings, educates men about the importance of early and consistent prostate cancer screenings. Similar programs for women and breast cancer are delivered via Pink Ribbon Sundays or Purple Tea events
Population Served
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General / General Public/Unspecified / Adults
Population Served
Adults / Children and Youth (infants - 19 years.) /