The Essential Health-Fargo Foundation is honored to receive two new subsidies, totaling $ 30,000 from the American Cancer Society (ACS) to help mitigate part of the financial burden for patients with cancer treatment.
This year’s subsidies include $ 20,000 to help provide transportation and $ 10,000 to provide accommodation assistance. They are part of a national investment of $ 9 million which is expected to provide nearly 63,000 patients eligible with nearly 800,000 transport and accommodation services.
“We are incredibly grateful to receive these two subsidies,” said Sue Omdalen, director of the Essential Health-Fargo Foundation. “The dollars of the American Cancer Society have directly supported so much of our patients in oncology over the years, and we are delighted with the impact of these dollars.”
“These funds eliminate a critical obstacle to care, allowing patients to focus on healing rather than worrying about how they find themselves in treatment or where they will stay,” added Sarah Hansen, a social worker approved at Essentia Health Fargo Cancer Center. “This support really facilitates the burden of so many families, and we cannot thank the American Cancer Society enough for making this possible.”
Access to the treatment of high quality cancer has an impact on cancer results. A lack of transport and accommodation necessary to receive quality care can lead to missed appointments, processing interruptions and delays in follow-up care. In a newspaper in 2023 of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) studyACS researchers have found that delayed care due to the lack of transport are associated with increased use of emergency rooms and a risk of mortality in affected adults and without history of cancer.
“Transport obstacles or the cost of a hotel room should not be obstacles that determine the survival of people with cancer treatment,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, director of patients for ACS. “Partnership with health systems and organizations across the country to provide funding to provide the necessary direct assistance helps to fill these equity gaps and improves cancer results.”
Located at the clinic of Essential Health-South UniversityThe Fargo Cancer Center is accredited as a complete program of cancer of the Commission on Cancer Commission and by the National Accreditation Program for Mammary Centers (NAPBC).
With a geographical service area which is 84% rural, Essentia Health works hard every day to protect the health and well-being of all our patients, it doesn’t matter where they live. Essential offers complete cancer care services in four cancer centers in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as mobile mammography services for several rural communities.
The Essential Health-Fargo Foundation was created in 2010 to improve the lives of our patients and families. The Foundation is devoted to supporting people through their trip to a healthy life and guaranteeing that health care remains local and accessible to all those who need it.