An essential non-clinical service
There is a significant increase in cancer rates among Asian immigrants. Studies show that the longer the time spent in the United States, the higher the risk for contracting cancer. In fact, the rates of cancer are increasing dramatically among Korean Americans. While there are federal and state programs that provide screening and treatment, and an increasing number of programs that cater to the linguistic and cultural needs of Korean immigrants, most efforts are in the area of clinical service.
What is not accounted for is the cost of negotiating a life with cancer; the physical, emotional and spiritual hardships that must be traversed to transform a cancer patient into a cancer survivor. There is little structure to support essential non-clinical services such as counseling for disease management or end-of-life issues, either in a one-on-one therapeutic setting or in support groups or through the assistance of a network of survivors who can assist newly diagnosed cancer patients.
These needs, generally managed by family and friends, can overwhelm informal support networks. There is a critical need for formal networks that can assist low-income, uninsured and underinsured immigrant patients and their caregivers in catering the physical, emotional and spiritual hardships of treatment and survival. For low-income, uninsured or underinsured immigrants, the provision of non-clinical services and assistance can make a difference in the quality of life and survival rates through treatment and beyond.
KHEIR’s Cancer Support Group was established 11 years ago in response to the need in the community for non-clinical support services and the lack of non-clinical support services for non-English speaking Korean American cancer patients and survivors. Two overarching goals drive the program: the need for continuous outreach/education about surviving cancer as Korean American individuals continue to be diagnosed with cancer and to support the new advances made in health maintenance for cancer survivors.
KHEIR board members, staff and leaders of the Cancer Survivors’ Group have participated in improving the structure and content of group meetings, including working collaboratively to add more educational lectures to meetings and to recruit experts to address participants’ needs.
Established in response to the request of cancer survivors who needed space and staff support to organize monthly meetings, KHEIR has operated its Cancer Support Group regardless of funding. The agency has been fortunate to receive partial funding from a mini-grant from the Asian American Network of Cancer Awareness in 2002, Research and Training (AANCART) and two mini-grants from Youngnak Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles’ Serving the Community 2004 and 2005 grant programs.
