YMCA, Memorial Hospital Foundation incubators for LIVESTRONG programs
Two Chattanooga organizations will spend the next week participating in the nationwide LIVESTRONG Foundation Community Impact Project with the aim of improving cancer patients’ quality of life.
YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga and Memorial Hospital Foundation were chosen to test the LIVESTRONG and Advanced Certification for Palliative Care programs, respectively, on a temporary basis.
Online voting, which is open now, from the local community will determine whether those programs become permanent installations.
“We share [the LIVESTRONG Foundation Community Impact Project’s] passion for inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer,” Janet Dunn, CEO and president of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga, said in a prepared statement. “Our Y will use this funding to provide a supportive environment for our neighbors, friends and families who are living with the effects of cancer.”
The Chattanooga-area Y's are in a group of 26 nationally and only four regionally that were chosen to pilot the program in their communities. Similarly, Memorial Hospital Foundation was in a select group of 49 hospital and cancer centers across the county, including the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and Duke University Health System.
LIVESTRONG at the YMCA developed from research that revealed a correlation between improved quality of life and exposure to an environment tailored to providing “whole person” care with physical and social activities. The Y staff received specialized training in supportive cancer care to help program participants create and work toward healthy lifestyle goals, such as strength, flexibility, endurance and confidence.
Advanced Certification for Palliative Care is a program designed to assist palliative care services in achieving the Joint Commission certification in that discipline, specifically through staff training.
"Memorial Hospital offers a dedicated palliative care team to meet the needs of those with complex medical diagnoses, such as cancer," Christine Dominguez, RN, BSN, OCN, CHPN, palliative care coordinator, said in a prepared statement. "We provide 24/7 availability for such issues as developing goals of therapy, advanced directives, symptom management and a holistic approach to the patient and their families."
The LIVESTRONG Foundation Community Impact Project is currently implementing programs in roughly 100 sites that were chosen by their community as part of the project’s 2012 cycle.
This year, more than $1 million will be distributed to cancer centers, hospitals, universities and other organizations implementing the same programs now in the test phase at Chattanooga’s YMCAs and Memorial Hospital Foundation, in addition to the Camp Kesem and the Creative Center at University Settlement Artist-in-Residence programs.
Voting will continue until Thursday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. EST.
