No one should have to go through cancer alone. 

Smith Farm Center has developed a groundbreaking, integrative model of patient navigation to guide cancer patients through treatment and survivorship while offering psychosocial support to individuals and their families. These services have improved the quality of life for patients and contributed to more individuals successfully completing treatment.

We offer integrative cancer care coaching services to help answer questions about integrative cancer therapies and resources, and assist individuals in developing personal healing plans through our U Street office. We also employ patient navigators through four local churches and at Howard University Cancer Center. In addition, we train individuals to be navigators using our integrative navigation model.

“The patient navigator quieted my fearful thoughts, answered my questions and through laughter, brought me out of the pits of despair. She monitored me throughout the process. When there were tasks I didn’t want to complete, she helped me to soldier on.  I don’t know what a newly diagnosed cancer patient does without a navigator.” – Cancer Patient

SAVE THE DATE
Patient Navigation Training in Integrative Cancer Care
Program Dates: April 14 — April 19, 2011

Based on its holistic model of patient navigation in cancer care, Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts is offering a five-day training program for new and experienced cancer navigators.

The goal of our navigation training program is to assist navigators in the successful establishment of an integrative navigation practice. It offers holistic information and tools for patients throughout the treatment continuum – care that supports each individual physically, emotionally and spiritually. Space is limited. Continuing Education Credits will be offered.

Application submission deadline: TBA
Location: Hallowood Retreat & Conference Center, Comus, Maryland

To receive future details & information, please contact Carole O'Toole, Director of Patient Navigation Programs at carole@smithfarm.com.

"This week was not only full of education and practical tools- but an absolutely transformational experience as the entire week was an integrative experience in and of itself. The role and benefits of breathing, guided imagery, music, yoga, art and exceptional whole food nutrition truly connected the mind-body-spirit. It far exceeded my expectations and will continue to "marinate" for weeks and years to come. I now have a wealth of tools to draw upon. Thank you!" -- 2010 Navigation Training Attendee

What is Patient Navigation?
Patient navigation is emerging as a valuable service in cancer care.  It refers to assistance given to individuals facing cancer that improves access to care and resources. 

Our Integrative Patient Navigation Model
Smith Farm Center expanded the concept of cancer patient navigation by developing an integrative navigation model that advocates the use of both conventional medicine and complementary resources to facilitate healing on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. 

Our patient navigators offer individual counseling, education, and on-going support from diagnosis through survivorship. They assist with and offer: 

• Access to screening and treatment services
• Educational talks that address cultural barriers regarding cancer
• Information on cancer treatment and culturally relevant community resources
• Emotional support from diagnosis through recovery and survivorship
• Information and instruction in integrative therapies to better cope with cancer and treatment
• Wellness workshops on a variety of topics, such as stress reduction and coping techniques (meditation, breathwork and visualization), nutrition and cancer, exercise, and survivorship

Smith Farm Center’s Patient Navigation Services
Smith Farm offers navigation services at our U Street office as well as in hospitals, four local churches, and Howard University Cancer Center. Our ten navigators reach out to individuals facing cancer, especially underserved African immigrant and African American women in our community. 

If you are living with cancer and interested in working with a patient navigator, please call us at 202-483-8600 or email carole@smithfarm.com.

Churches with Smith Farm Center Patient Navigators:

• Union Temple Baptist Church
• Plymouth Congregational Church of Christ
• Allen AME Baptist Church
• Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church

A Brief History of our Navigation Program
We launched our first navigation effort in 2006, providing an on-site breast care navigator to Howard University Cancer Center (HUCC), the nation’s largest hospital serving African Americans. Supported by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, this successful program has resulted in:

• expanded access to care
• improved treatment compliance rates

• enhanced hospital services
• increased patient knowledge, skills and empowerment
• decreased fear, anxiety and mistrust
• a commitment by Howard Hospital to make the program permanent for breast cancer patients.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Quality Health Foundation funded Smith Farm Center efforts to expand our integrative patient navigation program deeper into the community, with a special focus on our city’s most vulnerable populations: the underserved patients who often have little-if any- access to appropriate medical services and treatment. Smith Farm Center has partnered with historically African American churches and local community organizations serving the African immigrant community to hire, train and establish survivors as community navigators. The navigators provide services through several churches and throughout the community, linking patients to local resources and hospital navigators.

Since 2006, our services have reached more than 5,000 individuals through our education, outreach and counseling services and have contributed to more patients successfully completing treatment.

“Smith Farm Center’s Patient Navigation Program has had the single greatest impact on increasing the value and quality of care given to patients at Howard University Hospital.  Their services have increased patient compliance rates by 15%.”  – Wayne Frederick, MD, Interim Director of HUCC

Patient Navigation Training
Smith Farm Center offers a unique, innovative patient navigation training program that equips navigators with the knowledge, skills and resources to successfully establish an integrative cancer navigation practice.       

This intensive five-day program, taught by experts in such specialties as oncology care, the healing arts, cancer survivorship, palliative care, nutrition, and stress reduction, offers information and tools that navigators can use to provide integrative navigation to patients throughout the entire treatment continuum. 

The training prepares navigators to offer individuals facing cancer education, advocacy, support, guidance and instruction and companionship that improves quality of life and contributes to more patients successfully completing treatment. Following the training, participants are able to:

• Offer psychosocial support to individuals and their caregivers
• Facilitate access to health care and integrative therapies
• Reduce the stress of living with cancer
• Engage patients in taking ownership of their health and wellbeing
• Empower patients with knowledge and skills to enhance their treatment  experience  and improve their quality of life
• Facilitate the physical, emotional and spiritual healing of each individual
• Learn and use basic, proven integrative mind-body therapies with clients

Smith Farm Center now offers its integrative navigation training program to navigators across the country.  For further information contact: Carole O’Toole, Director, Navigation Programs at carole@smithfarm.com

Community Navigators - Left to Right: Reverend Rebecca West – Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ; Louise Battle – Intern Navigator, Union Temple Baptist Church; Vanessa Antrum – Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church; Myrtle Washington – Navigation Consultant and Interim Navigator, Union Temple Baptist Church; Reverend Shirley Gravely-Currie – Allen Chapel AME Church

Not Pictured: Pam Greene-Holland – Howard University Cancer Center, Ma Diakite – African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association, Milly Terry – African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association, Vera Oye Yaa-Anna – Community Navigator

Remembering Sherry James, Patient Navigator
Sherry James’ passion for supporting other women facing breast cancer led her to her work as a Breast Care Community Navigator for Smith Farm Center. Sherry was called to assume this role through her church, Union Temple Baptist Church in January of 2009. Despite her personal health challenge of dealing with metastatic breast cancer- perhaps because of it- Sherry was determined to improve the level of information and knowledge women receive on breast health, breast cancer, and wellness. She also freely shared with others her story, in the hopes it would motivate women to seek help and face cancer with courage and determination as she did. Sherry possessed a deep spirituality and integrity: She honored her commitments and was a living example of faith in action. Her gentle manner was appreciated by the women she helped and her energy was only limited by her illness. While enduring treatments, she reached out to other breast cancer patients, offering them immeasurable support. Her presence and passion was a gift to all of us who knew her.  Sherry passed away on August 6, 2009.