Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, November 23, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Women in the NWT who are fighting breast cancer now have another resource to depend on.

Thanks to the money raised from this year's Run for Our Lives, a new position was created at Stanton Territorial Hospital.

The breast health patient navigator position is filled by Nancy Cymbalisty, who describes it as "helping women with breast cancer navigate through the medical maze."

Cymbalisty is the first and only "patient navigator" in the NWT. Cymbalisty started the job in October as a two-year pilot project, which if successful could become permanent.

Having previous experience as a home care nurse, she has worked with six women from across the territory so far. She said her job includes helping women and their families understand what to expect during treatment, information about appointments and procedures, as well as providing emotional support.

"Part of the journey too is helping them get back to life post-treatment," said Cymbalisty.

"Stanton wants to make sure it can provide an environment that's as supportive as possible," said Stanton Territorial Health Authority Chief Executive Officer, Sylvia Haener, "(The patient navigator) makes the traumatic experience a little easier, we hope."

Of the $220,000 gross total raised from the run, $45,000 was allotted to the patient navigator position for the year. Of the rest of the funds, 25 per cent is going towards national research, $35,000 is going to fund a new position with the Breast Health Action Group and the rest to the Breast Health Fund for special projects and capital equipment purchases.

Emily Pollock is in her first year in the newly-formed job of breast health co-ordinator with the Breast Health Action Group.

"(Breast cancer) affects more people than I think the public is aware of," said Pollock, who grew up helping out in the cancer clinic where her mother worked.

She said that her role and that of the action group is to provide information and raise awareness of breast cancer with the public, health care providers and those who have breast cancer and their families in the NWT.

Louise Dundas-Matthews, a representative with Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation, said money is also being put aside towards a new mammography machine, as the one the hospital has now is about 10-years-old.

She said there is a lot being done for the communities of the North thanks to the Run for Our Lives. "That's why we did it, to keep the money in the North," said Dundas-Matthews.