Groundbreaking Program to Help Underserved Cancer Patients, The Ronnie Lippin Cancer Support and Navigation Project, in Partnership with Tower Cancer Research Foundation, to be Initiated at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping all patients facing cancer, particularly those who do not have the resources or ability to pilot their way through the tremendous clinical and administrative burdens of a cancer journey, is at the heart of The Ronnie Lippin Cancer Support and Navigation Project. In partnership with Tower Cancer Research Foundation, this lifesaving initiative is now moving forward at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

A groundbreaking project that will provide a host of essential non-clinical cancer navigation and coordination services that eliminate obstacles to timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the goal of the program is to improve cancer-related outcomes for underserved cancer patients. The project will focus on reducing barriers for underrepresented sexual, gender, financial, racial, and ethnic minority community members, who are either at risk of being diagnosed with cancer, or patients who have already been diagnosed with cancer, and their loved ones. Cancer navigators will offer tailored science-based cancer information, education, navigation, support resources, and access to care.

"One of the most agonizing times in my life was when Ronnie, my wife, was diagnosed with cancer," Dick Lippin, Trustee of The Lippin Family Trust stated. "There was so much I did not know about dealing with cancer and I realized if I felt this way so many others must be experiencing it as well. When Ronnie passed, I had the good fortune of being introduced to Tower Cancer Research Foundation and now the project we envisioned will be implemented by one of the country's finest medical institutions, Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Our goal is to help as many people as possible, lacking the resources and capabilities, who now can use this program as a guiding hand through extremely challenging times." 

The critical importance of services to help patients and their families navigate health care treatments for cancer was recently underscored via the announcement earlier this year from President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden that they have prioritized supportive services for people who are touched by cancer, including through championing the importance of patient navigation services.

Funded by Tower Cancer Research Foundation through a grant from The Lippin Family Trust, The Ronnie Lippin Cancer Support and Navigation Project at Cedars strives to be easily accessible and help a host of community members who are underserved based on a variety of factors. These may include race, ethnic background, sexual and gender minority, legal status, education level, faith or belief system, socioeconomic group, age, physical barriers, literacy and late-stage cancer. In particular, the project will target geographic areas and groups that experience higher incidence of late stage diagnosis, including the Latinx, LGBTQ+, Korean, Filipino, Black and immigrant communities. Project cancer navigators, including a Latinx navigator and a LGBTQ+ navigator, will focus on assisting patients and their families at any stage along the cancer continuum, from screening, diagnosis, treatment, post-treatment and survivorship, all the way to end of life care.

"I am so thankful to Dick Lippin, and the Lippin Family Trust, for partnering with Tower Cancer to improve cancer-related outcomes for underserved cancer patients at Cedars. Naming the program after Ronnie Lippin, a trailblazing figure in the music industry, adds a beautiful layer of meaning to the initiative," added Christopher Clinton Conway, CEO of Tower Cancer Research Foundation.

Examples of services this project will provide include conducting assessments of the patient and/or caregiver needs, in-language aid and assistance with medical appointments, information and test results, and providing resources such as mental health support and making referrals to address mental health issues. In addition, navigators will help identify and connect patients to internal and external resources such as support groups and survivorship resources, government agencies and nonprofit organizations that may provide additional resources, and end of life care and support for diagnosed patients and loved ones. Ultimately, The Ronnie Lippin Cancer Support and Navigation Project aims to reduce cancer disparities in our communities through decreasing barriers to prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment in underserved populations. These efforts will hopefully improve access to cancer care, thereby lessening cancer morbidity and mortality for people impacted by cancer or at risk of developing cancer in these communities.

ABOUT TOWER CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (TOWER CANCER): Tower Cancer Research Foundation was founded over 25 years ago, with the goal of independently advancing groundbreaking research and profoundly supporting people affected by cancer — as we inch closer to a future free from the burden of this devastating disease. Inspired by the most promising science, we fund leading local researchers, making us a launchpad for additional funding and discoveries here and on the global stage. Our clinically-grounded patient support programs, hosted by Magnolia House, and community partner grants, funded by Tower Cancer, align with the challenges faced by patients, survivors, and the whole cancer community. We believe that impact begins here, and it starts with you. www.towercancer.org

Contact: Rachel Schwartz/PR AdvantEDGE Inc.

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SOURCE Tower Cancer Research Foundation