PRESS RELEASE: Patient Empowerment Network Recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion

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For Immediate Release:

Patient Empowerment Network Recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion for Supporting the Initiative’s Vision

Bothell, WA — Patient Empowerment Network (PEN) is pleased to be recognized by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a Healthy People 2030 Champion.

As a Healthy People 2030 Champion, Patient Empowerment Network has demonstrated a commitment to helping achieve the Healthy People 2030 vision of a society in which all people can achieve their full potential for health and well-being across the lifespan.

ODPHP recognizes Patient Empowerment Network, along with other Healthy People 2030 Champions, as part of a growing network of organizations partnering with ODPHP to improve health and well-being at the local, state, and tribal level.

“All people deserve fair access to the best healthcare and support they need, regardless of their background or circumstances,” said Tracy Rode, Executive Director of PEN. “That’s particularly true in cancer care, where underrepresented communities struggle for health equity. PEN is proud to join our efforts with other Healthy People 2030 Champions in improving care and survivorship for people with cancer.”

“ODPHP is thrilled to recognize Patient Empowerment Network for its work to support the Healthy People 2030 vision,” says RADM Paul Reed, MD, ODPHP Director. “Only by collaborating with partners nationwide can we achieve Healthy People 2030’s overarching goals and objectives.”

Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iteration of the Healthy People initiative, which sets 10- year national objectives to improve health and well-being nationwide. Healthy People 2030 Champions are public and private organizations that are working to help achieve Healthy People objectives. They receive official support and recognition from ODPHP.

About Patient Empowerment Network:

Patient Empowerment Network (PEN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization trusted by millions of cancer patients, care partners, and health care professionals worldwide to achieve improved health literacy, equity, and treatment outcomes at every step of their journey. PEN’s mission is to offer trusted information to empower anyone impacted by cancer, toward fulfilling our vision of every cancer patient having the knowledge they need to navigate the complexities of cancer. www.PowerfulPatients.org

Healthy People 2030 Champion is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Used with permission. Participation by Patient Empowerment Network does not imply endorsement by HHS/ODPHP.

About the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP)

ODPHP plays a vital role in keeping the nation healthy through Healthy People 2030, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, and other programs, services, and education activities. ODPHP is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To learn more about ODPHP, visit health.gov or follow @HealthGov on Twitter.

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PRESS RELEASE: Patient Empowerment Network appoints Tracy Rode as Executive Director   

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 18, 2023

BOTHELL, WA. – Patient Empowerment Network (PEN) today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Tracy Rode as Executive Director.

Rode brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience, including working with diverse patient populations to improve their health outcomes and increase access to care.

“We are thrilled to have Tracy join Patient Empowerment Network at a time when our wide range of educational and information programs span 18 different disease areas, reaching more people with cancer — and their caregivers — than ever before,” said Darla Brown, chair of PEN’s board of directors. “As a cancer survivor, Tracy understands how empowering knowledge can be for patients, and her broad experience and network will accelerate our impact to new levels.”

“I joined the Patient Empowerment Network because of the experienced, compassionate staff and Board of Directors, who focus on excellence and innovation to not only carry out their mission but also grow their impact,” said Rode. “Patient Empowerment Network activates patients to share decision making with their healthcare team, and we are contributing to health equity by expanding our programs’ reach within underrepresented areas and communities. I’m also excited to continue our collaboration with health care professionals by providing them with the best, most trusted resources for their patients. ”

Rode’s experience of leading and growing organizations encompasses both volunteer and professional roles, including executive positions at the Healing NET Foundation, the Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South Chapter, PearlPoint Cancer Support, and Vital Options International, and Vision3 Interactive Media, an internet consultancy she founded in 1995. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two adult children.

About Patient Empowerment Network

Patient Empowerment Network (PEN) is a virtually-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization trusted by millions of cancer patients and care partners to achieve improved health literacy, equity, and treatment outcomes at every step of their journey.

PEN’s free online programs for people impacted by cancer include webinars with leading medical experts, digital literacy skills training workshops, downloadable doctor’s visit check-lists, online courses which teach skills including how to use telemedicine, animated explainer videos, patient story vignettes, a blog, activity guides, and more. www.powerfulpatients.org.

Media Contact:    

Emily Reed

Early Light Public Relations

Emily@earlylightpr.com

digital sherpa® Press Release

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Digital Sherpa™ Press Release

Media Advisory

Two upcoming digital sherpa® Workshops offer unique support to

local cancer patients

Fort Myers, FL – March 9, 2017… In partnership with Patient Empowerment Network (PEN) and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) is pleased to announce two upcoming digital sherpa® Workshops on Thursday, March 16, 2017 and Thursday, April 27, 2017 at its Gladiolus Cancer Center (8260 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers, FL). The workshops are open to FCS patients, caregivers and friends.

Hosted by PEN, the digital sherpa® Program aims to help cancer patients and their families become more tech-savvy. The program’s workshops educate patients and caregivers in basic internet and social media skills to help them in their search for information about their illness and support for them and their families.

Cancer patients, known as “climbers” in the program, are paired with FGCU students, known as “sherpas”, who have been specially trained by PEN to offer skills such as:

  • Internet use (such as opening an email account, navigating Google, and creating and remembering passwords)
  • Social media skills (including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
  • Creating virtual connections with other cancer patients via on-line patient support communities
  • How to use apps such as Uber and other ride-share services to get to appointments

Research suggests that many older cancer patients lack basic internet and social media skills which creates an obstacle for them when they try to go on-line to access information about their illness, or support from other patients and patient advocacy groups.[i] Often they become overwhelmed with the abundance of information and do not know how or where to find the help they need.

“By producing this program, we want to show what can be done to help cancer patients and their families become more tech-savvy, more educated, more self-confident and more in control of their cancer journey,” said Joan Justice, PEN’s Executive Director.  “By pairing digital natives (FGCU students) with the older generation, we hope to create an empathetic and powerful relationship that is an asset to any community.”

“We are pleased to partner with PEN and FGCU to offer this innovative program to our patients,” said FCS CEO Bradley Prechtl. “Ensuring that our patients and their families know how to access helpful information online is a big plus.”

Dr. William Harwin, Founder and President of Florida Cancer Specialists, added, “Our collaboration with PEN and FGCU to provide this unique program reflects our mission of patient-centered care. The more education we can provide to patients, their families and caregivers, the better equipped they are to be active participants in their own healthcare.”

“The digital sherpa® Program is beneficial to both the cancer patients and the Florida Gulf Coast University students involved.  The patients gain technological knowledge that connects them with up-to-date information pertaining to early detection or successful treatments; the FGCU students acquire valuable and transferrable skills such as the ability to communicate effectively, problem solve, and build relationships – which was the best part of all!” said Jessica Rhea, Director of Community Engagement at Florida Gulf Coast University.

“I enjoyed the casual, fun atmosphere and being able to ask the students about the technology questions I have rather than having to ask my children for help,” said one Digital “Climber” following a recent workshop.

The Climber’s Digital “sherpa” added, “The barrier of age was broken between us. I loved the connection and bond we made!”

Workshops will be held on March 16 and April 27 from 2:30-4:30PM at Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, 8260 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33908.

 

About Patient Empowerment Network

Our mission is to fortify cancer patients and caregivers globally with knowledge and tools, boosting their confidence and putting them in control of their healthcare journey and assisting them to get the state-of-the-art, personalized care they deserve. For more information, please visit our website https://powerfulpatients.org/

Watch our video to learn more about the digital sherpa® Program https://vimeo.com/241755461

About Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute:

Founded in 1984, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) is the largest independent medical oncology/hematology practice in the United States. With over 200 physicians, 160 nurse practitioners and physician assistants and nearly 100 locations in our network, we are committed to providing world-class cancer care in community-based settings close to home.

Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, FCS offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. 84% of new cancer drugs approved in 2016 for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials conducted with FCS participation*. Our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report Trained in such prestigious medical schools and research institutes as Duke, Stanford, Harvard, Emory, M.D. Anderson, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering, the physicians of Florida Cancer Specialists provide leadership and consultation in the state’s leading hospitals.

FCS serves patients on the Gulf Coast from Naples to the greater Tampa Bay area, north as far as Tallahassee, in Orlando and surrounding Central Florida communities, and on the East Coast in Daytona/Palm Coast, Vero Beach/Sebastian and in Palm Beach County.

Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research and cutting-edge technologies that help advance targeted treatments and genetically-based immunotherapies, and embodied by our outstanding team of highly-trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians and staff.

 *Prior to approval

Established to fill a regional need for higher education opportunities in Southwest Florida, FGCU has flourished since opening its first classrooms in 1997, and now attracts students from all over the United States and abroad to Fort Myers. The university has achieved national prominence in academics, environmental sustainability and service-learning as well as in athletics, where FGCU earned the nickname “Dunk City” during its historic run in the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. FGCU’s unique natural setting between the Florida Everglades and the Gulf of Mexico creates a living laboratory and a lively campus interwoven with native flora and fauna. It also provides an engaging home to a diverse community of more than 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students who advance their learning in state-of-the-art classrooms and labs; they collaborate with faculty to produce new knowledge that benefits the environment, education and community life.

For Media Inquiries please contact: 

Patient Empowerment Network

Andrea Conners, Programs Director

andrea@powerfulpatients.org

844-307-1009

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Shelly Glenn, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer

sglenn@flcancer.com

770-365-6168

Chappell Roberts

Chris Wilkerson

cwilkerson@chappellroberts.com

813-857-7051

Ganick Communications, Inc.

Elaine Ganick

elaine@ganick.com

615-377-7877

Reference

[i] Smith, Aaron. (2014) Older Adults and Technology Use. Pew Research Center