The Bristol-Myers
Squibb Foundation today announced six new grants totaling more than
$900,000 that focus on improving cancer awareness, prevention and care
by developing cancer nursing skills and building nurse-community
partnerships in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia. The funding is a
result of the 2011 request for proposals issued by Bridging Cancer
Care™, an umbrella program for the Foundation's
efforts to help reduce cancer disparities in Central and Eastern Europe
(CEE). Organizations receiving funding are:
- Hungarian Hospice Foundation will engage general practice
nurses in efforts to encourage Roma people to participate in cervical,
breast and prostate cancer screenings and to seek cancer care services
when needed
- National School of Public Health, Management and Professional
Development will adapt and implement the U.S. model of the
Oncology Nurse Navigator in Romania
- Project Hope Poland will help improve early detection of cancer
in children by training community nurses and primary healthcare teams
- Romanian Cancer Society will train nurses on how to disseminate
information on prevention, early diagnosis, treatment guidelines and
follow-up for stomach, colon, and melanoma cancers to their communities
- University of Washington will partner with Bashkir State
Medical University in Russia to train nurses in evidence-based
oncology nursing practices
- World Services of La Crosse will help improve nursing skills
and expand the scope of nursing practice in Russian primary care
clinics
"Nurses are an integral part of the health care system and have the
potential to significantly influence patient outcomes," said John
Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and vice president,
Corporate Philanthropy, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "Through our 2011 Bridging
Cancer Care™ Request for Proposals, we were
looking for innovative solutions that elevate the participation of
nurses in patient education and care and help reduce disparities in
health outcomes of cancer patients in the Czech Republic, Hungary,
Poland, Romania and Russia.