In the spring of 2022, my wife Susie came to me and our physician son with concerns. She experienced unexplained weight gain and felt a vague pain in her belly.
It was a weekend and because we were heading out of town, she went to the emergency room. Imaging revealed a huge mass, and the radiologist suggested high probability of it being āovarian neoplasm.ā In other words, cancerous.
When the ER physician asked me who I wanted her to see, I froze. Here I was, a physician, with no idea where to take my wife for care.
He gave a recommendation of someone Iād never heard of and then left. We sat there in shock, looking at one another. I knew that advanced ovarian cancer is essentially incurable. I was so proud of her strength, but I was also devastated.
Thankfully, I was connected to Concierge Nurse Navigators, a service dedicated to assisting patients in receiving the best quality healthcare and treatment outcomes. I reached out and asked for help. I told him, āI want her to get the best care, and Iām willing to take her anywhere. Tell me what to do.ā
After a few hours, they got back to me with some encouraging news: the surgeon to whom Susie had been referred was in the top five percent in the country. The staff care and treatment experience was excellent, and even better, she didnāt have cancer! Instead, a huge, benign, cystic mass was removed.
In the midst of our cancer scare, I felt God was opening my eyes to something CHM members needed: a team of specialists who could navigate them to the best possible clinical outcomes. At the time we went through this experience, CHM focused almost exclusively on praying for our members and reimbursing medical bills. My family’s health crisis convinced us that our members would benefit from something more.
After all, if CHMās own medical director was uncertain of the best course of action, how could we expect our members to know what to do in their own respective health crises? And so the concept of CHM’s Cancer Care Solution was born.
What is Cancer Care Solution?
Cancer Care Solution (CCS) is CHMās response. Cancer is widespreadānearly 40% of Americans will be diagnosed at some point in their livesāand its treatment can be complex and costly. Early detection can dramatically improve survival rates, yet many people struggle to access timely screening or expert guidance. CCS exists to bridge these gaps by developing helpful resources and walking alongside members dealing with cancer.
CCS has three key priorities:
- Early detection: We inform and encourage members about evidence-based cancer screening and risk reduction strategies.
- Navigating complex care: A cancer diagnosis often leads to multiple appointments, tests, and consultations. We help members understand their treatment options, guiding them to seek second opinions when appropriate and supporting them in coordinating care among various specialists.
- Financial and emotional support: We assist members in finding financial and community resources and sharing eligible costs. Our team also ensures members are connected to prayer support, resources, and encouragement.
Through education, support, and prayer, weāre equipping members with what they need to face cancer together, with courage and hope.
