ATLANTA (August 7, 2010) – The American Cancer Society today announced that Red Oak Sanitation, with corporate headquarters in Gainesville, Georgia, will sponsor the Society’s Patient Resource Navigation Programs at Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth and Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Red Oak, whose owners have more than 40 years of experience in residential waste removal, will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from its recycling program to the Society to support its Patient Resource Navigation Programs in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
To date, Red Oak has donated $12,000 to the Society from its recycling program.
The Patient Resource Navigation Program enables the American Cancer Society proactively reach newly diagnosed cancer patients at hospitals where patients are diagnosed and treated. Patient navigators are specially trained American Cancer Society staff members who work at hospitals to provide support and assistance and link patients, survivors and caregivers to vital information and resources throughout the cancer journey. They offer high-quality and timely cancer-related information and are able to refer patients to American Cancer Society programs and services, link them with clinical trials, and provide assistance with such issues as available community resources, finances, housing and transportation.
“Red Oak is deeply committed to advancing the American Cancer Society’s mission to eliminate cancer by supporting its life-saving programs and services, particularly its Patient Resource Navigation Program,” said Anthony Grutadaurio, co-owner of Red Oak Sanitation. “We are dedicating 100 percent of the proceeds of our recycling program to the Society, and with this action, we believe we will be successful in helping the Society reach more cancer patients. And be on the lookout for our pink trucks. They are rolling reminders that cancer affects everyone and that Red Oak is serious about fighting this disease in our community.”
Randy Redner, the Society’s Vice President for Georgia, said “We are grateful to Red Oak for its strong support of our work to save lives from cancer and to give everyone more birthdays to celebrate. And we’re also very appreciative that the American Cancer Society’s Ladies’ Auxiliary in Gwinnett who introduced Red Oak to the Society and made this wonderful opportunity possible. A cancer diagnosis can be a life-changing experience for patients, their families and their caregivers. Our patient navigators are able to provide support every step of the way, from explaining what to expect with chemotherapy, to making sure patients have transportation to and from appointments. Fighting cancer is a difficult, challenging journey, but with the help of trained American Cancer Society patient navigators, people don’t have to go through it alone.”
Georgianna Shumate, president of the Ladies’ Auxiliary, whose organization has worked closely with Red Oak and will recognize their contribution at the Auxiliary’s annual Hope Fashion Show to raise funds to fight breast cancer, added, “It’s very exciting to see a valued community partner like Red Oak strengthen its commitment to the American Cancer Society and the fight against cancer. We are pleased that we played a key role in bringing together Red Oak and the American Cancer Society’s Patient Resource Navigation Program. We are confident that the partnership will result in many more lives saved.”
The American Cancer Society Patient Resource Navigation Program directly connects cancer patients to a cancer education and support specialist – known as a “patient navigator” – who, through one-on-one relationships, serves as a personal guide to patients and caregivers as they face the psychosocial, emotional and financial challenges that cancer can bring. The service is free and confidential, and places an emphasis on assisting the medically underserved.
To learn more about the Patient Resource Navigation Program, visit www.cancer.org. For more information on the Ladies’ Auxiliary and the Hope Fashion Show, visit www.hopefashionshow.org. If you would like to find out more about Red Oak Sanitation’s recycling program, visit www.sanitation-services.com.
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.