Press Release
Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare partners with American Cancer Society to open Patient Resource Center
For Immediate Release, January 27, 2006
Contact: Kyle Bauer, 630-993-5702
ELMHURST – Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare (EMHC) and the American Cancer Society will provide cancer patients and their families in Villa Park and the surrounding communities with resources and one-on-one support through a new Patient Resource Center.
An open house for the new Patient Resource Center, which is located within the Elmhurst Memorial Health Education Center for the Community of Villa Park at 318 S. Ardmore, will take place Thursday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"For cancer patients and their families, dealing with this disease can be overwhelming for even the most courageous individuals, but it doesn't have to be so difficult," said Chris Hensley, regional vice president for the Society's Oakbrook Terrace office, which serves communities in DuPage County. "The new Patient Resource Center is the American Cancer Society's commitment to cancer patients in Villa Park and nearby communities that they receive the resources needed to navigate their journey with cancer."
Hensley, Joyce Stupegia, village president of Villa Park, and Sue Benedetto, vice president of marketing for EMHC, will be on hand from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. to answer questions about the new facility and its services. Clinical specialists from the Society and EMHC also will be available throughout the afternoon. Attendees of the free event can browse through educational displays and enjoy complimentary refreshments throughout the day as well.
"The Health Education Center will help educate community members on topics such as cancer, stress management and general wellness," said Benedetto. "We are thrilled to partner with the American Cancer Society to provide services such as Support to Recovery, which unites newly diagnosed cancer patients with survivors to help them cope with their diagnosis, treatment and recovery."
As the third Patient Resource Center in Illinois, the new center is part of the Society's Patient Navigation Services (PNS), a patient-focused program designed to fill a critical void in healthcare and social services by assisting cancer patients and their families at the time of diagnosis, during treatment and throughout the balance of their lives. This Patient Resource Center will help ensure cancer patients in Villa Park and the surrounding communities are offered services such as Road to Recovery, a program that provides cancer patients with transportation to and from treatments; Look Good…Feel Better, which focuses on the inner and outer beauty of women going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments; and Reach to Recovery, matching breast cancer survivors with newly diagnosed patients to provide constant encouragement and support.
Founded in 1926, Elmhurst Memorial Hospital today is Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare, a comprehensive health system with multiple locations and services designed to enhance the health of the communities and customers we serve. With 427 licensed beds, Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare and its staff of more than 3,500 employees and 550 physicians are committed to excellence in medical and surgical care, behavioral health, cardiology, emergency care, maternity, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedics and pediatrics. For more information about Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare, please call our physician referral line at (630) 782-7878.
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. The Illinois Division has more than 120,000 volunteers and staff fighting cancer in the state. For the most up-to-date cancer related information and to join the fight against cancer, call 800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.