By David Silverheels and Marissa Haring
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s new Indigenous Center established the Two-Row Patient Navigation Services program in 2021. Our patient navigation program is a free community-based service designed to promote access to prevention, screening, timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases by eliminating barriers to care, such as challenges with health literacy, language barriers affecting comprehension of diagnosis and treatment, lack of transportation, fear or insufficient insurance coverage to name a few.
Two-Row Patient Navigation Services aims to provide and ensure culturally aware care, relieve some of the stress and anxiety that comes along with a cancer diagnosis, provide support and increase screening and prevention of cancers that most affect our communities. These cancers include, breast, lung, prostate and colorectal. If you have any questions about screening, cancer or Roswell Park, give us a call or visit our office.
Community patient navigators will work closely with patients and community members who may be doctor referred or self-referred. Two-Row Patient Navigation Services will ensure a collaborative approach by the patient’s clinical team of providers and others is maintained to provide the best care and support possible.
In fall 2021, the Two-Row patient navigation program will have assigned patient navigators on the Allegany and Cattaraugus territories that will work in cooperation with the Seneca Nation Health System with offices both on Territory and at Roswell Park. As this new program begins its journey in helping interested community members who have been impacted with cancer or other chronic diseases, Roswell’s Indigenous Center is committed to meeting the challenges and opportunities to improve the lives of everyone within the Seneca Nation of Indians and surrounding communities.
Community Patient Navigators:
Marissa Haring, M.S. CHES
– Cattaraugus Territory
(716)697-3687
Marissa.Haring@roswellpark.org
David Silverheels, LMSW
– Allegany Territory
(716)697-3582
David.Silverheels@roswellpark.org
