A grateful patient of Dr. Andrew Page created the Andrew Page Pancreas Cancer Fund. Her name was Nancy Lyle. She was diagnosed with pancreas cancer and formed a unique bond with Dr. Page and the pancreas cancer surgery team at Piedmont Healthcare. She recruited her friends and family to donate to the fund, and her only caveat was that the money be used to help patients like herself understand and manage pancreas cancer. Nancy underwent chemotherapy and surgery and enrolled in a trial after her cancer recurred.
Unfortunately, Nancy died of pancreas cancer, but she left a legacy with Dr. Page to create and sustain four pillars of what she felt would help patients now and in the future. Those four areas are:
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The Atlanta Pancreas Cancer Conference
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A patient-led ambassadorship program (which was posthumously named in her honor)
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An impetus to grow research-led initiatives with TGen
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Miscellaneous fund to help patients in need
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Organizational Chart
All funds donated to the APPCF go directly to one of these four primary initiatives. There is no “Dean’s Tax,” meaning that 100% of donations go toward these patient-centered initiatives. All funds are at the discretion of Dr. Page.
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Primary sponsors of each initiative and sub-project are listed in the smaller boxes.
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Piedmont Atlanta Healthcare employees are designated with (PAH).
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Green boxes are represented by independent organizations that have volunteered to work with the APPCF.
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Gray boxes are projects in development.
1. Atlanta Pancreas Cancer Conference
The APPCF sponsors the Atlanta Pancreas Cancer Conference. This regional conference aims to bring clinicians, patients, and families together to learn about the most up-to-date advances in treating pancreas cancer. Originally founded by Dr. Page, Destroy Pancreatic Cancer (a patient-led advocacy group based in Atlanta), and Piedmont Healthcare, this conference has become one of the country's most established patient and clinician-led conferences.
About the conference
Organization
Led by Dr. Page and Piedmont Oncology, they organize, adapt, and strategize to ensure that this conference can meet the needs of patients and clinicians.
Marketing And Outreach
Working directly with the APPCF, Destroy Pancreatic Cancer (DPC) supports and creates the marketing and publicity platform of the Atlanta Pancreas Cancer Conference. DPC was created by John Couvillion. John was diagnosed with pancreas cancer and underwent chemotherapy and surgery and enrolled in trials. John was passionate about education and the therapies he wanted to bring to Atlanta. Unfortunately, John died of pancreas cancer. His legacy of sponsoring the outreach and marketing for the conference lives on today.
Visit the Destroy Pancreatic Cancer website
2. Nancy Lyle Ambassador Program
The Nancy Lyle Ambassador Program represents one of the most unique opportunities available to clinicians, patients, and families who are fighting pancreas cancer. Organized by Dr. Kathleen Lee, an expert in healthcare innovation and utilization of technology, the ambassadorship program identifies opportunities to improve patient, family, and clinician education and expectations.
With Dr. Lee’s guidance, the ambassador program is using clinical expertise from Piedmont Healthcare and integrating the infrastructure and logistical support from the Nikki Mitchell Foundation. The APPCF financially supports Dr. Lee in this endeavor. This program is already available to all patients at Piedmont Healthcare, intending to expand nationally with a web-based platform to provide all patients with the most comprehensive and patient-centered care available.
The Nikki Mitchell Foundation (NMF)
The Nikki Mitchell Foundation (NMF) is a patient-led organization that provides comfort and relief to those affected by pancreatic cancer. They are a private group, not directly affiliated with a hospital or academic system. They are also one of the country's most established pancreas cancer advocacy groups. Like the APPCF, the NMF supports patient-centered initiatives and research. Early in developing the ambassadorship program at Piedmont, the NMF recognized an opportunity to support the program and integrate its independence and unique organizational skills for expansion and support. The APPCF is honored to call them a partner in the development and sustainability of the ambassador program.
Visit the Nikki Mitchell Foundation website
Sharmeen Jones, RN, BSN, CMSRN
Sharmeen Jones, RN, BSN, CMSRN, is a Piedmont Oncology Patient Navigator. She has extensive experience in surgical and outpatient care of pancreas cancer patients. She has formalized training in nurse and patient education and, like Dr. Lee, represents one of the strongest pillars of the ambassador program, representing the many voices and concerns about pancreas cancer education. Sharmeen is employed by Piedmont Healthcare, working closely with and leading many of the pancreas cancer initiatives at Piedmont.
Susanna Kosac, RD, LD, CNSC
Susanna Kosac, RD, LD, CNSC, is a Registered Dietitian for the ambassadorship program. She has a unique passion for pancreas cancer and pancreatitis patients, as they can be some of the most complex patients to manage from a nutritional standpoint. She represents the nutritional lead in the ambassador program and is formally employed in the Surgical Oncology and HPB department at Piedmont Healthcare.
Joel Hardwick, MS
Joel Hardwick, MS, is a Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist and cancer exercise trainer with a fondness for physical pre-habilitation in cancer patients. Since the early days of the pancreas cancer program, Joel has been actively involved in designing personalized approaches to physically preparing for the treatment of pancreas cancer and for recovering from the treatment as well. He is employed by Piedmont Healthcare and volunteers with the Surgical Oncology and HPB Program.
3. Research with TGen
The Purple Pansies are a patient-advocacy group dedicated to increasing awareness, improving detection, and funding research for pancreas cancer. They are a private group with growing relationships with Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Arizona. Similar to the APPCF, the Pansies support patient-centered initiatives and research. One of their greatest accomplishments has been fundraising for cutting-edge trials at TGen. They are currently interested in supporting trials and using the APPCF to formalize a relationship between Piedmont and TGen to provide access to TGen’s therapies at Piedmont.
Visit The Purple Pansies
4. Extra Patient Support
The APPCF is proud to introduce a new initiative led by the clinical team and coordinated by Sharmeen Jones. A portion of the APPCF will go toward providing support for select patients that are financially strained. Examples include but are not limited to gas cards for transportation to and from visits for patients that live far away and covering supplemental medications not covered by insurance (e.g., pancreatic enzymes). Additionally, hospital meals can be tiresome for many patients. We plan to start providing occasional non-hospital meals for patients’ families while loved ones are in the hospital. The pancreas cancer team can use these funds for other financial needs that may arise on a case-by-case basis.
Sharmeen Jones, RN, BSN, CMSRN
Sharmeen Jones, RN, BSN, CMSRN, is a Piedmont Oncology Patient Navigator. She has extensive experience in surgical and outpatient care of pancreas cancer patients. She has formalized training in nurse and patient education and, like Dr. Lee, represents one of the strongest pillars of the ambassador program, representing the many voices and concerns about pancreas cancer education. Sharmeen is employed by Piedmont Healthcare, working closely with and leading many of the pancreas cancer initiatives at Piedmont.