AHN Launches Robust Peer Support Program for Cancer Patients

PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute (AHNCI) today announced the launch of its comprehensive Community Cancer Patient Ambassador Program, the first of its kind in Western Pennsylvania to support patients with cancers across all disease lines.

This innovative program pairs newly diagnosed cancer patients with trained volunteer patient ambassadors – individuals who have successfully navigated their own cancer journeys at AHN – to provide invaluable peer-to-peer support and fellowship throughout treatment.

The program addresses the emotional and practical challenges faced by cancer patients and their families, aiming to reduce feelings of social isolation and anxiety often associated with a cancer diagnosis and improve the overall patient experience.

AHNCI's Community Cancer Patient Ambassadors draw upon their experiences to offer guidance, empathy, and a listening ear. Ambassadors will:

• Listen and answer questions: Create a safe space for patients to share concerns and receive non-clinical answers.
• Respect individual journeys: Acknowledge and honor the unique experiences of each patient.
• Support critical milestones: Offer assistance and encouragement during pivotal points in diagnosis and treatment.
• Share beneficial resources: Connect patients and families with helpful tools and information, such as support groups and other resources available to cancer patients.

“A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and, as a cancer survivor myself, I feel strongly that cancer patients must have support beyond the hospital’s walls,” said Terri Ronald, program manager of the AHNCI Community Cancer Patient Ambassador program and three-time cancer survivor. “This program provides a vital lifeline, connecting patients with someone who truly understands their situation and can offer invaluable support. While our ambassadors are not medical professionals, they are important resources for our patients, providing hope, strength, and practical advice.”

The program's carefully selected ambassadors undergo extensive training to ensure they provide sensitive and appropriate support. Their first-hand experience in navigating a cancer diagnosis at AHN makes their fellowship and mentorship uniquely important to each relationship.

Ambassadors are committed to maintaining patient confidentiality and respecting the boundaries of the patient-physician relationship. They also ensure that patients have the friendship and guidance they need during their cancer journey from someone who has walked in their shoes.

Since the program’s creation in August, more than two dozen volunteer ambassadors have been onboarded and are helping patients in Western Pennsylvania and beyond who are receiving care at AHN’s Cancer Institute. Ambassadors can provide support for up to three different patients at once if needed. As the program continues to grow, additional ambassadors will be recruited and trained to support all disease lines of cancer.

“It felt surreal when my first mammogram at the age of 40 led to a breast cancer diagnosis,” shared breast cancer patient ambassador Rachel Machen, 44, of Oakmont. “I had no family history of breast cancer and no physical symptoms. I didn’t know any women like me as I faced uncertainty and feelings of anxiety. I wish I had an ambassador to reach out to while I was on my journey from diagnosis to surgery and radiation, to finding the best hormone treatment as a premenopausal woman. I want to be the listening ear, cheerleader, and source of support for other patients.”

Upon diagnosis, patients who elect to be partnered with an ambassador will be paired with a cancer survivor of a similar diagnosis and stage to obtain non-medical support along the treatment journey and beyond. The overall goal of the program is to improve the non-clinical patient support of cancer patients and their families across all cancer disease lines. A meeting cadence is determined exclusively between the patient and their ambassador, depending on the patient’s needs and comfort level.

Patients and their paired ambassador can meet virtually or in person, depending on their proximity to one another. Many of the ambassadors and patients are local, but others may not be – AHN’s pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) cancer program, for example, draws patients from around the world to AHN for its unique and specialized care, so several of these ambassadors are positioned throughout the country and mentor patients traveling to Pittsburgh for treatment.

“At the AHN Cancer Institute, we understand that cancer care extends far beyond medical treatment. The emotional and practical challenges faced by patients and their families are significant, and often overlooked,” said David Bartlett, MD, chair of the AHN Cancer Institute. “The Patient Ambassador program fills this critical gap, providing the compassionate, non-clinical community support that is essential for holistic patient care and improved outcomes.”

If you are a patient who would like to use your experience at AHNCI to help others, contact cancerambassadors@ahn.org to learn more about becoming a Community Cancer Patient Ambassador at AHN.