Conquering Colon Cancer - Renown Health

T
Notes From Dr. LiNDa Ferris
he Renown InstItute foR
CanCeR has long RealIzed
that CanCeR CaRe Is muCh
moRe than pRovIdIng tReatment
optIons; it is about working to find a
cure and continually advancing the level of
cancer care available to northern nevada
patients. that is exactly why the Institute
for Cancer supports the nevada Cancer
Council with its first nevada Cancer
Control summit. the summit brought
together nevada healthcare providers and
other key stakeholders to discuss the state’s
cancer control plan and other key issues
surrounding cancer care in the region.
our own Cancer program manager, sheila
Baez, Rn, mn, aoCns, heads the nevada
Cancer Council. as chair of the nevada
Cancer Council, she is in the ideal position
to make a genuine difference in the state’s
cancer control efforts and overall cancer
care. together, we can and will reduce our
cancer rates.
march is Colorectal Cancer awareness
month. Colorectal Cancer has a 90% cure
rate if it is caught early. unfortunately,
nevada has one of the worst screening
compliance rates in the nation. In this issue
you will find several articles on colorectal
cancer including how Renown is working
to increase screening rates statewide,
information on the new fIt test available
at Renown, as well as patient testimonials
from colon cancer survivors.
our leading clinical research program
also works to continually improve and
find new cancer treatments. with more
than 141 clinical trials conducted to date,
Renown Institute for Cancer is leading the
way in northern nevada cancer research.
this research combined with our skill,
expertise and technology, ensures patients
are receiving the most advanced cancer
care in the region.
Renown continues to invest in advanced
technology and highly skilled staff so that
we can meet and exceed our community’s
healthcare needs. having the skill and
expertise we need to meet our community’s
heathcare needs means we have top-notch
nurses. at the Institute for Cancer, our
highly-trained, specialized nurses provide
superb patient and cancer care. the
Institute for Cancer is proud to support
the oncology Certification process for
nurses. oncology Certified nurses (oCn)
must pass a comprehensive certification
exam, have at least 12 months experience
as a Registered nurse and a minimum of
1,000 hours of oncology nursing practice.
this means that patients can be confident
they are receiving the best care possible.
the Institute for Cancer is also working
to improve the patient experience at
our facilities. we are very excited as we
prepare to unveil our new Children’s
Infusion Center in spring 2009, where no
detail was spared to ensure that our young
patients receive their treatments in the most
comfortable setting as possible. Renovations
for new cancer patient rooms and the new
Infusion Center are currently under way
as well. every decision was made with the
utmost patient comfort in mind.
as in every issue, this issue of Renown
Journey provides valuable information
about proactive cancer care including
screenings for men and women by age
group, physician profiles and information
on clinical trials.
whether you are a newly diagnosed
cancer patient, a survivor, a family member
or loved one, Renown Journey provides
important information for the mind, body
and soul. I hope you continue to find
Renown Journey valuable and meaningful.
enjoy!
Linda W. Ferris, PhD
Vice President, Renown Institute for Cancer
renown.org 1