The ECU Health Cancer Center is bringing the spirit of the season to those who need it most by creating a pop-up gift shop for cancer patients.
Rylann Leng was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease three years ago, and like many others at the ECU Cancer Center, she won’t have the opportunity to spend the holidays in the comfort of her own home surrounded by family and friends. “I actually got sick around christmas time three years ago and so I didnt get to celebrate or be with my family we were in and out of the hospital at that time so christmas is a pretty big thing for me and I am a college student so I work on a really short budget and its hard to manage class, treatment and still feel ok at the end of it so this has been amazing I can shop for my siblings – I am a sibling of nine,” Leng said.
But with the support of nurses and community donations, a simple yet heartfelt idea has come to life—a pop-up holiday gift shop, designed to bring a little light to patients. “Most of our cancer patients are either not feeling well enough to go shop for Christmas gifts or their immune systems are so compromised that they don’t need to be out in the community in large crowds where they could catch any little bug or germ so we started this program six years ago,” nurse, Kelly Trout said.
The ECU Health Cancer Center is ensuring that some of the most courageous individuals, those battling cancer, feel the warmth of the season in their own way. “I didnt think this would impact me as much as it did but it has truly made this holiday less stressful and a lot better and more enjoyable to look forward to,” Leng said.
Thanks to donations from the community and the dedication of nurses, this special store is filled with gifts that patients can pick up free of charge for their loved ones. “With the burden of going through cancer treatments and such like that they don’t want patients having to worry about paying their medical bills on top of their mortgage rent and groceries,” Trout said.
While nothing can replace the comfort of home during the holidays, the cancer center’s efforts bring a glimmer of joy and a reminder of hope this Christmas season.
It’s not just in October, which serves as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that you can find the ECU Health Cancer Care Outreach team making connections in the community.
Jennifer Lewis, outreach coordinator for cancer care at ECU Health Medical Center, said she spends much of her time reaching out to community partners, talking to groups in Pitt County and beyond, and connecting with ECU Health patients and families. However, she said, the most rewarding part of her job is the monthly free breast clinic she helps run.
The clinic, for women in Pitt County age 40 and older who are low income and do not have health insurance, provides screening mammograms while sharing other resources available for health care in the area with those participating in the screening.
Lewis said she is grateful to help with the program and is proud of the impact it has on Pitt County.
“Patients don’t see a bill because of donations to the Cancer Center and the ECU Health Foundation, and that’s just an amazing thing we get to offer,” Lewis said. “We start with a breast exam by a provider to check for obvious abnormalities. Then they have their 3D mammogram, so they get state of the art imaging just like anyone else would get and they don’t get lesser quality. If they have an area that is of suspicion, we can do a diagnostic mammogram and if the radiologist looks at those images and feels like there’s some more concern about something, next would be an ultrasound of that area of suspicion. The program that we have here pays for all that.”
She shared that while ECU Health Beaufort Hospital and Outer Banks Health currently have their own programs outside of Greenville and Pitt County, other hospitals across ECU Health’s system are working toward establishing the program as well.
Lewis said the partnerships and volunteerism associated with the program make it truly special. She and her team work closely with the Pitt County Health Department to help patients who need further care through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP).
“We can’t do this without our partners, that’s for sure,” Lewis said. “We have such a great working relationship with the Pitt County Health Department and the mammography technicians, Patient Access Services, Language Access, Volunteer Services, radiology and ultrasound, and then our nurse residents who help out all work together so well. After patients are seen during the free clinic day, we have Access East on hand, too, to share information and resources about other services they can get access to. It’s such great teamwork all around that makes these events successful.”
The program sees so many patients throughout the year that they’ve recently added an extra clinic day twice a year, once in February and once in October, to help meet the needs of the community.
While Lewis is frequently in the community talking to groups and spreading awareness, October is especially important. She said she’ll spend much of the month meeting with community groups and in churches discussing risk factors, signs and symptoms and why screenings are important.
“This month is an intentional time set aside to speak about risk factors, family history, and signs and symptoms, because that’s the one time of the year that you can sit back and think, ‘OK, am I having any of these symptoms?’ Or ‘What is my family history? Because last year I didn’t have any, but this year my mother or sister has been diagnosed with it.’ It really creates that intention for people to have that moment sometime during the month,” Lewis said. “Whether it’s an ad on Facebook or hearing someone like me speak, it’s important to have that moment of reflection, remind yourself to get a mammogram and just put that in the forefront of women’s minds.”
She said if there’s one thing she could remind the community, it’s that anyone can be diagnosed with breast cancer. She noted that there are many myths, including that because someone is without family history, is otherwise healthy or is a male, that they cannot develop breast cancer. This is why she said it’s critical for everyone to be aware of signs and symptoms and receive screenings as recommended.
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Trees at an Eastern Carolina hospital will be lit in different colors each month to raise awareness about the different forms of cancer.
“The spotlight on Cancer Project” kicks off Thursday night at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital in Washington – and the Shepard Cancer Center.
This month is Colon Cancer Awareness Month.
The lights on the hospital campus will be blue at night as a reminder about the importance of colonoscopies.
ECU Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ECU Health, has officially completed its largest fundraising campaign in the organization’s history. Recently, the campaign reached and exceeded its $50 million campaign goal for supporting the ECU Health Cancer Care capital project, along with funding cancer programs and services.
“To achieve this milestone is truly monumental for our Foundation team and for ECU Health,” said Scott Senatore, president, ECU Health Foundation. “We, along with our extremely generous donors and community partners, have demonstrated what it means to be committed to fulfilling our mission of believing in a life without cancer. The generosity and philanthropic commitment of our donors is evident in every detail of our stunning cancer center as well as the services we provide and the resources we offer.”
More than 4,000 donors contributed to the campaign over the course of seven years. Because of the dedication and support of countless donors, as well as the generosity of the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Foundation, the facility was formally named in their honor and is now known as VECU Health Cancer Care at the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower.
The impact of this facility is far-reaching and is providing hope for cancer patients and families across the region. Three years ago, mortality rates in eastern North Carolina were 15 percent higher than the rest of the state. Since opening in 2018, these mortality rates have decreased 14.2 percent, which is less than one percent higher than the rest of the state.
“I have personally seen the impact of our donors’ generosity and commitment to investing in ECU Health Cancer Care,” said Dr. Emmanuel Zervos, executive director of ECU Health Cancer Care, and Spencer and Mary Raab Distinguished Professor of Adult Oncology and Founding Director of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. “Because of our incredible donors, we have doubled the number of patients who are able to receive chemo at one time, as well as provide additional screenings for early detection, and offer more therapeutic resources for our patients.”
Through philanthropic support, ECU Health Cancer Care has been able to provide the following programs and services:
- Patient resources, such as financial assistance for gas, food, electricity, prescriptions, transportation and child care for patients who qualify at the federal poverty level;
- Patient navigation program which helps remove any barriers to care, assures seamless care delivery and refers patients/families to needed resources;
- Diagnostic procedures, including mammograms, bone scans, colonoscopies and lung CT scans;
- Oncology outreach, including community screenings, early detection and prevention programs, as well as educational/awareness programs;
- Survivorship and support programs, such as retreats for cancer patients, as well as nutrition, exercise and equine therapy programs. Also, complimentary wigs are offered to those who are unable to afford them otherwise.
Since opening in 2018, ECU Health Cancer Care has:
- More than 90,000 new outpatient registrations
- More than 100,000 outpatient clinic visits
- Recruited top specialist oncology physicians from all over the country
- Over 77,000 patients have received radiation treatment
- Over 9,500 PET scans completed
- 1,200 support and survivorship programs hosted
ECU Health Cancer Care at the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower on the ECU Health Medical Center campus serves as the hub to provide cancer care in Greenville, as well as deliver cancer care throughout the region. Cancer care in eastern North Carolina is driven by this vision: to prevent the incidence of cancer whenever possible, diagnose the disease in its earliest stages, and ensure that every patient with cancer receives world-class care without leaving the area. The ECU Health Foundation will continue to raise funds for patient resources, diagnostic procedures, survivorship programs, and early detection/pre-screenings.
Media contact: Beth Anne Atkins, director, communications and donor relations, ECU Health Foundation, 252-847-7695 or [email protected]
The Service League of Greenville has pledged a $2 million endowment to sustain programs and services within ECU Health Cancer Care. The endowment matches the Service League’s $2 million gift to ECU Health Cancer Care in 2015.
“Our mission is to ‘minister to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy through various projects, which benefit the hospital and community’,” said Danette Pugh, president of The Service League of Greenville. “We are so fortunate to have ECU Health Cancer Care here in eastern North Carolina, and we are blessed to be able to fulfill our mission by sustaining cancer programs and services for the foreseeable future.”
Through philanthropic support, ECU Health Cancer Care has been able to provide the following programs and services:
- Patient resources, such as financial assistance for gas, food, electricity, prescriptions, transportation and child care for those patients who qualify at the federal poverty level;
- Patient navigation program which helps remove any barriers to care, assures seamless care delivery and refers patients/families to needed resources;
- Diagnostic procedures, including mammograms, bone scans, colonoscopies and lung CT scans;
- Oncology outreach, including community screenings, early detection and prevention programs, as well as educational/awareness programs;
- Survivorship and support programs, such as retreats for cancer patients, as well as nutrition, exercise and equine therapy programs. Also, complimentary wigs are offered to those who are unable to afford them otherwise.
In eastern North Carolina, 19 people are diagnosed with cancer every day, with eight passing away every day in ECU Health’s 29-county region. The mortality rates in eastern North Carolina are 15 percent higher than the rest of the state because too many cancers are being detected in later stages. ECU Health is on a mission-critical journey to change all that—to transform cancer care in the region.
ECU Health Cancer Care at the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower on the ECU Health Medical Center campus serves as the hub to provide cancer care in Greenville, as well as deliver cancer care throughout the region. Cancer care in eastern North Carolina is driven by this vision: to prevent the incidence of cancer whenever possible, diagnose the disease in its earliest stages, and ensure that every patient with cancer receives world-class care without leaving the area.
“It is truly remarkable that over $4 million dollars raised by The Service League in pursuit of our mission to envision a life without cancer came in small increments selling candy, coffee, flowers and gifts from the gift shops, cafés and vending machines,” said Dr. Emmanuel Zervos, executive director of ECU Health Cancer Care, and professor and chief, Division of Surgical Oncology at the Brody School of Medicine. “The dedication and commitment of The Service League to this region is the secret ingredient that makes eastern North Carolina such a special place. The Service League has been with us since day one, and we look forward to continuing our partnership to serve the region.”
Since opening in 2018, ECU Health Cancer Care has:
- More than 60,000 new outpatient registrations
- More than 42,000 outpatient clinic visits
- Recruited top specialist oncology physicians from all over the country
- Over 30,000 infusion patients treated
- Over 6,000 PET scans completed
- 1,2000 support and survivorship programs hosted
The league is celebrating its 83rd year of service. The organization operates several amenities throughout ECU Health Medical Center, including the Coffee Shop, the gift shops, all vending services, and two freestanding Starbucks coffee operations—known as the Coffee Corner and the ECHI Café. The group was also monumental in helping fund The Service League of Greenville Inpatient Hospice, which provides inpatient medical care in an environment that meets the emotional, spiritual and comfort needs of patients and their loved ones during a terminal illness. The group also helped fund the construction of The Service League of Greenville Interfaith Chapel.
All profits from the league’s hospital operations are donated back to the hospital through the ECU Health Foundation. Through the years, The Service League’s total commitment to ECU Health Medical Center is more than $13 million.
Media contact: Beth Anne Atkins, director, communications and donor relations, ECU Health Foundation, 252-847-7695 or [email protected]
ECU and Vidant Health are partnering to create two senior faculty positions in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. The positions are being funded by a generous gift to the Vidant Cancer Care campaign by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barnhill Jr. of Tarboro.
“We are passionate about giving back to the community within which we work and live,” said Robert Barnhill. “It is our hope that we can continue to support medical research and health care initiatives in eastern North Carolina with this gift.”
Barnhill, a native of Edgecombe County, graduated from ECU in 1970 with a degree in business administration. His family’s company, Barnhill Contracting, was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Rocky Mount. The company does work across the southeastern United States in site infrastructure, highway and commercial building construction. Barnhill and his wife, Penny, have two sons who work with the family business and a daughter who resides in Charlotte.
“The Brody School of Medicine and Vidant are leaders in providing skilled doctors and essential care to eastern North Carolinians. That commitment to health and service continues with these professorships made possible by the generosity of the Barnhills. It is a gift that will inspire faculty to push the frontiers of their scholarship and research as well as prepare thousands of students to follow their path as successful physicians,” said ECU Chancellor Cecil P. Staton.
Vidant is excited about the opportunity to continue to build and enhance Vidant Cancer Care through this partnership with the Barnhills and ECU.
“We are honored and thrilled that the Barnhills chose to support the Vidant Cancer Care campaign in this manner,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of Vidant Health. “Vidant Health has dedicated significant resources to build a premier cancer program, focusing on developing a sustainable, regionally-connected system-of-care that will require effective physician leadership on all levels.”
Dr. Mark Stacy, dean of Brody, expressed his gratitude for the Barnhills’ gift and the impact it will have on eastern North Carolina. “We’ve all been touched by cancer in one way or another. We’re grateful to the Barnhills for their generous contribution to battling this disease that creates an especially heavy burden on our part of the state. This gift creates new opportunities to explore and advance the way we deliver oncology care here,” said Stacy.
The two professorships will be named the “Barnhill Family Distinguished Professorship” and the “Robert and Penny Barnhill Distinguished Professorship.” Vidant and ECU will work together to determine the timing of the creation of the positions, as well as tenure status, compensation, responsibilities and candidate selection. This partnership is just one of the many ways Vidant and ECU are working together to support patient care, physician engagement, education and research.
Vidant Cancer Care at the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Tower in Greenville opened to patients on March 25. The estimated cost of construction and equipping the cancer center and bed tower is $174 million. Approximately $50 million is being funded through philanthropy.
Vidant Health and Golden LEAF Foundation officials announced today a $10.8 million grant to fund major equipment in the state-of-the-art cancer center and bed tower on the Vidant Medical Center campus. Eastern North Carolina has a much higher mortality rate for cancer diagnosis than the national average, and more than 7,500 new cases are diagnosed each year in this region.
“We are honored and thrilled that the Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors decided to support this project that is so vital for the people of eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO, Vidant Health. “Vidant Health has recognized that the numbers are not improving, so we have dedicated significant resources to build a premier cancer program, focusing on developing a sustainable, regionally connected system-of-care.”
Golden LEAF’s mission is to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities. The Foundation funds projects affecting critical issues in rural communities such as creating opportunities for new jobs, helping retain crucial businesses at risk for leaving an area and readying the workforce.
“The Golden LEAF Foundation is proud to partner with Vidant Health to provide important and needed specialty healthcare services to rural Eastern North Carolina,” said Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF President. “The increased health care service in Pitt County and other eastern North Carolina counties will also create 197 new jobs at the cancer center and train 3,500 new health care professionals annually. This grant will result in multiple wins for eastern North Carolina – improved rural health care access as well as jobs in the region.”
The new 418,000-square-foot cancer center and bed tower is located adjacent to the existing East Carolina Heart Institute on the Greenville campus. The six-story, 96-bed facility will be designed so all inpatient beds can provide cancer care at the tertiary level. For now, this includes intermediate and general level medical and surgical care for inpatients, with the capability for intensive care in the future. It also includes space for the following:
- First floor – 140,000 square feet, including a lobby, outpatient cancer clinic, radiation oncology, infusion services, patient support, pharmacy, lab and administration office space.
- Second floor – 48 inpatient beds and clinical support space
- Third floor – mechanical, electrical and support space
- Fourth floor – 48 inpatient beds and clinical support space
- Fifth and sixth floors – space for possible future expansion and/or the replacement of existing hospital inpatient beds
Examples of some of the equipment being purchased with Golden LEAF Foundation grant dollars include:
- 3T MRI (3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging – offers increased image clarity that is beneficial for identifying pathological conditions involving the brain, spine and musculoskeletal system and allows for high-quality vascular imaging; also has shorter scan times that maximize patient comfort without compromising quality).
- PET/CT scanner (Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography) – upgrade to current equipment.
- Mammography, bone density and ultrasound equipment – This new equipment will allow for screening and early detection of breast cancer.
- Video conferences equipment – The conference rooms will allow multidisciplinary teams to participate in cancer case review, care planning and education using state-of-the-art technologies (high definition monitors/screens, speakers, cameras and computer programming/capability).
Throughout the building, visitors will find special touches and features to help enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of care delivery and improve the patient experience. Patients, visitors and team members will be able to enjoy healing gardens and natural outside environments, as well as shop at a specialized boutique and Image Renewal Center designed to meet the needs of cancer patients. There will also be a resource room for patients and families to do research, in addition to conference space for cancer awareness and support programs.
The estimated cost of construction and equipping the cancer center and bed tower is $174 million. Approximately $50 million will be funded through philanthropy.
The cancer center and bed tower is scheduled to open in March 2018.
Media contact: Beth Anne Atkins, director, marketing and communications, ECU Health Foundation, 252-847-7695 or [email protected]
About Golden LEAF Foundation
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding received from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. For almost 20 years, Golden LEAF has worked to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grantsmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.
The Foundation has provided lasting impact to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and rural areas of the state by helping create 61,000 jobs, over half a billion dollars in new payrolls and more than 65,000 workers trained or retrained for higher wages.
To learn more about the Golden LEAF Foundation, visit www.goldenleaf.org or call 888-684-8404.