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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ProtonPals Volunteer Coordinator
ProtonPals is a support and outreach group for those who
choose proton therapy treatment at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center's Proton
Therapy Center
in Houston, Texas. The "Pals" formed a network in order
to:
· Stay up to date with treatment
cure results
· Provide support to one another
and Center activities
· Be informed on side-effects among
the group
· Promote proton radiation as the
best cancer cure
· Attract and
nurture more Pals who support our cause, patient-to-patient and
friend-to-friend
ProtonPals is open to all types of cancer patients and those
interested in proton radiation therapy.
As patients complete their treatment many questions will
arise. First of all they have the big question "Am I Cured?" Next they will be wondering
about what side effects they may encounter. The questions go on and on.
ProtonPals is the single best source for answers and a key
organization promoting the Proton
Therapy Center. It is featured as an on-line support organization in the M.D. Anderson Proton Therapy web-site.
Joe Landry the head of ProtonPals keeps the website protonpals.net up to date and sends all members a
regular newsletter. He attends regular patient meetings and some of the Wednesday night meet up dinners. As he lives 45 minutes from the Center it is difficult to
keep on top of everything. Joe (832)335-0353, Ban Capron (972)233-3996 and
Peter Taaffe (713)664-9694 are always available to help the Coordinator.
Coordinator Job Description:
The key in supporting the Proton Center
is growing ProtonPals membership (now well over 600) as typically new patients
find out about proton radiation is word of mouth and the bulletin board.
· ProtonPals brochures need to be in good supply
in the gown room, and both lobbies. When they are in low supply contact: Tai Ly.
· There is a ProtonPals notebook in the gown room
and upstairs lobby. Encourage patients to sign-up on the sheet in the notebook
(patients provide their name and e-mail address).
· Call Joe every week providing him with
new members who signed the book or walk over to fax machine in Tai Ly's office and fax the sign up sheets to Joe. 713-391-8238
· At the weekly meetings and dinners that you may
attend suggest patients sign-up.
· Keep and eye out for your replacement for when
your treatment is finished.
· Provide Joe with your contact information and
your replacement.
· Post key notices about 1)weekly information sessions, 2) the monthly patient sessions, 3) the monthly proton center tours and 4) the weekly "separate check" dinners as these flyers become available from the Proton Center Staff and Wed. dinners coordinator. |
Wanted: A Few Good Men
Atrium |
Being a marine is not necessary, but all are
welcome. I'm talking about becoming a M.D. Anderson Volunteer. As time goes by towards our four year anniversary the number of men who have completed Proton Therapy grows larger and along with that the follow up
clinics are packed. At some of the follow up
clinics up to 40 patients will be seen by their physician over a 4 hour period.
Each patient is evaluated as to how he has responded to treatment and any
associated side effects. Most of you have participated or soon will be.
M.D. Anderson Volunteer Job Description
The
clinics are conducted by the Clinic Nurse, the physician and with luck a
volunteer. Why a volunteer? Having a volunteer speeds up the clinic by taking
the non medical work from the nurse. Using the clinic schedule the volunteer
calls the patient to the examination rooms. He checks the documentation
ensuring it is all there, places the forms in the door basket and the label
with the patients name in the label holder. He keeps track of who has been seen
and their room. He collects EPIC(quality of life) questionnaires and hands out new forms to be taken
home to be returned by mail.
Out of town patients often take a "PSA" kit
home with them so they can mail back a blood sample for laboratory testing. The
Physician tells the volunteer which patient requires kits and the time period
to be returned to M.D. Anderson. The volunteer writes the time period on the
kit envelope and places the kit in the room basket for the nurse to prepare. As
the patient finishes his follow up exam and departs, the volunteer then preps
up the room and calls the next patient. I also add: and other duties as
required (just like a military job description.)
This is all there is to it. The hard part is
patience and standing for 3 - 4 hours. It is not a social event and there is little
time for conversation. You are privy to confidential information about the patients. All information about a patient must be kept
confidential and remain, like at Vegas, at the center.
What does a volunteer get out
of it? The satisfaction that you are helping your brothers, a work of mercy. We
all have stories of our journey from diagnosis to being cancer free. A lot of
really fine people helped us in this journey. You can be one of them.
There are about 1600 volunteers at M.D.
Anderson. They work in every department through out the Center. Look around you
at your next visit, especially at the Mays Clinic and the main center. The grey jacket people are everywhere except at the PTC.
Let's change that.
To be a volunteer there must be a need for
your service. You apply to be a volunteer through Volunteer Services located on
the 2nd floor of the Ames Building, phone 713-563-8213, Mr. Brandon
Floyd.
Before the Anderson Proton Center opened I was treated at of Loma Linda (pre 2006) and have worked one day a week as a volunteer for years. Call me for more information:
John Barna-Lloyd, home: 281-592-5662 or Email: JBL1301@msn.com. |
Please check out our web site for more information and up to date anecdotes from the ProtonPals who are have been treated at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Proton Therapy Center.
Want to Know More about Proton Therapy or ProtonPals
and join our group.
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About ProtonPals We're a support and outreach group for those who chose proton therapy treatment at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Proton Therapy Center in Houston Texas to cure their prostate cancer.
The "PALS" formed a network and developed the web-site in order to:
- Stay up to date on treatment cure results
- Provide support to others and Center activities
- Be informed on side-effects among the group
- Promote proton radiation as the best cancer cure
- Attract and nurture more Pals who support our cause, patient-to-patient and friend-to-friend
ProtonPals is open to cancer patients(not limited to prostate cancer) and those interested in proton radiation therapy. You are welcome to sign-up for our monthly e-Newsletter.on the website
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