Support Services manager to receive leadership award for prevention efforts
Less than a year after its doors opened, a spotlight in the nation’s capital will shine on Munson Medical Center’s Cowell Family Cancer Center on Feb. 2.
The center’s Cancer Support Services Manager Katie Horvath will receive the Less Cancer Leadership Award from Less Cancer founder Bill Couzens during National Cancer Prevention Day activities on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Horvath has helped initiate and lead wellness and cancer prevention efforts at the cancer center.
An advocacy group, Less Cancer seeks to influence national policy as well as personal practices in its mission to reduce the number of cancer deaths in the nation. National Cancer Prevention Day is sponsored by the Virginia Medical School, American University, and the Next Generation Choices Foundation.
“Last fall I spoke at the Cowell Family Cancer Center about the work of Less Cancer,” Couzens recently wrote in a Record Eagle forum article. “I was taken aback when I understood the cancer center’s commitment to cancer prevention, which isn’t the norm at many cancer centers.”
Since launching both treatment and wellness efforts last spring, the cancer center has offered free skin cancer screenings, hosted local and national speakers on wellness, added new support groups, and started meditation and exercise programming.
“One thing we did was to create an oncology patient specific program involving oncology yoga trained yogis, oncology personal training and oncology Pilates,” Horvath said. “They are all trained to deal with patient and survivor health conditions with modifications. Prevention also extends to staff and community, with classes for these groups, too.”
Collaboration with Interlochen Center for the Arts has brought art students to the center to paint, draw, dance and promote the arts as part of the healing process. The center also offers nutrition education, and an “Essentials Boutique” for cancer survivors that has strict product criteria excluding any patient products with substances that are known carcinogens, hormone disruptors and neurotoxins. “We teach the use of essential oils for cleaning, healing, and natural harm-free fragrance,” Horvath said.
The center has negotiated with the American Cancer Society for a free wig bank, and a partnership with Beauty Counter for a brick and mortar store location – making Munson Medical Center just the fourth location in the nation. Other stores are at Harvard University, Mount Sinai, and the University of Michigan.
“We are very excited to be recognized for daring to be different,” Horvath said. “We are being recognized as a leader in the field and a model for other healthcare facilities. It’s a great honor.”
Horvath is scheduled to receive her award after Less Cancer presents an award to Flint physician Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., MPH, FAAP, for her role in the Flint water crisis.
Learn more about Cowell Family Cancer Center.