Tuesday, May 30, 2023
(New Haven, CT, May 30, 2023) – Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven has been awarded a $50,000 transportation and lodging grant by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to alleviate the financial burden of cancer treatment. The grant is one of 411 grants totaling $8.3 million awarded to health systems nationwide. National funding will allow health systems to provide eligible patients an estimated 577,350 rides to treatment and 24,750 nights of free lodging during treatment.
“We are delighted to have been chosen as a grant recipient and very grateful to the American Cancer Society. This generous funding will help ease some of the financial worry that can accompany a cancer diagnosis by directly assisting patients who need lodging close to Smilow during their treatment, as well as provide transportation to and from appointments at Smilow and our various care centers,” said Maureen Major Campos, director of Patient Services, Smilow Cancer Hospital. “Transportation and lodging improves access to care which can lead to quicker diagnoses and better outcomes.”
Why Transportation and Lodging Funding is Needed
Lack of transportation and proximity to treatment prevents many people living with cancer from getting high-quality care which worsens cancer outcomes.
• In a study presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Care Symposium, American Cancer Society researchers found that 2.8 percent of cancer survivors reported delays in care due to transportation barriers. Cancer survivors who delayed care due to lack of transportation were more likely to use the emergency room and had the highest risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality.
• According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Facts & Figures 2022-2024, cancer survivors experience greater financial hardship than the general population for many reasons including the inability to work. They also have higher out of pocket medical costs compared to people without a history of cancer. The economic burden of cancer is more profound in survivors who are younger or were diagnosed in childhood, underinsured or uninsured, and have lower incomes.
“Not having access to high-quality cancer treatment due to where you live contributes to the disparities we see in cancer outcomes. It’s important to provide the funding and programming needed to keep a lack of transportation or the cost of a hotel room from impacting survival,” said Arif Kamal, MD chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. “The local health systems we partner with across the country use this funding to deliver assistance directly to the patients who need it most.”
The American Cancer Society believes all people should have a fair and just opportunity to live a longer, healthier life free from cancer regardless of how much money they make, skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or where they live. In addition to providing transportation and lodging funding to health systems, the American Cancer Society runs over 30 Hope Lodge communities that provide a free place to stay during treatment and a Road To Recovery program that provides free rides to and from treatment.
Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven is part of the nationally recognized Yale New Haven Hospital, and is affiliated with Yale Cancer Center (YCC), one of only 56 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the nation and the only such center in Connecticut. Smilow Cancer Hospital, the most comprehensive cancer facility in New England, includes private inpatient rooms, multidisciplinary outpatient treatment centers, 12 operating rooms, infusion suites, diagnostic imaging services, and specialized women's and children’s services. Smilow Cancer Hospital also operates a dozen outpatient care centers across Connecticut. YCC and Smilow Cancer Hospital are members of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 28 cancer centers in the U.S., whose mission is to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of oncology care. www.ynhh.org/smilow.
