Improving Aboriginals' cancer journey

The Northeast Cancer Centre is searching for two new employees — an Aboriginal patient navigator and a regional Aboriginal cancer lead — who will help improve cancer care among First Nation, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) communities in the region.

A joint initiative of Northeast Cancer Centre and Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), the navigator and lead roles will offer individualized assistance to help residents overcome health-care system barriers and facilitate timely access to care.

The Aboriginal patient navigator will facilitate and co-ordinate access to cancer services, ensuring care is culturally appropriate, work to address the cultural and spiritual needs of patients and their families, and network with FNIM and non-Aboriginal partners.

The regional Aboriginal cancer lead will focus on successful engagement and collaboration across varying primary care settings and advocate for and address the primary care needs of FNIM people in their regions.

“Aboriginal patient navigators and regional Aboriginal cancer leads were identified in CCO’s three-year Aboriginal Cancer Strategy II as vital components in delivering on our priorities of helping FNIM people to access and make their way through the cancer system and to enhance their knowledge, awareness, and experience throughout their cancer journey,” said Mark Hartman, northeast regional vice-president, Cancer Care Ontario, and vice-president, cancer services at Health Sciences North.

“We will work closely with our community partners to recruit for these roles.”

The appointments are part of a focused effort to help FNIM overcome their higher cancer incidence and mortality rates and better navigate the complexities of the cancer system by building more cultural competency into the system and better meeting the needs of Aboriginal patients, the press release said.

“The health outcomes of Aboriginal people are disproportionately lower than those of non-Aboriginal Ontarians,” said Alethea Kewayosh, director, Aboriginal Cancer Control Unit, Cancer Care Ontario.

“The Aboriginal patient navigator and regional Aboriginal cancer lead will help FNIM peoples better understand cancer and the need to adhere to their treatment plans, provide improved support to help them more effectively cope emotionally, psychologically and physically with their cancer and potentially improve treatment results.”

Both the Aboriginal patient navigator and the regional Aboriginal cancer lead will work through the Northeast Cancer Centre and with Aboriginal partner organizations to engage their FNIM patients and actively implement the Aboriginal Cancer Strategy II.

“These two new positions will play a significant role in helping individuals and families transition between care settings that might include emergency care, specialist treatment, primary family health care and finally home care and reduce the gaps in services and information, resulting in more confidence and trust in the system and a family’s personal ability to cope with this devastating illness,” said Gloria Daybutch, health director, Mamaweswen, the North Shore Tribal Council.

“I am pleased with today’s announcement,” Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci said, in the press release.

“These two new positions will help First Nations people navigate the cancer care system in a way that is respectful of their culture and sensitive to the individual barriers they may face along the way.”

Individuals interested in applying for the positions are encouraged to review the job posting and application process available on the Health Sciences North website at www.hsnsudbury.ca.