The VICC Office of Patient and Community Education (OPACE)
Cancer patient education, advocacy, and community outreach activities are planned and implemented through VICC’s Office of Patient and Community Education (OPACE). The goal of OPACE is to empower health care consumers to make informed decisions along the cancer care continuum through advocacy, education, and outreach initiatives.
Patient Advocacy
The Research Advocacy Program is comprised of trained cancer survivors/caregivers who support VICC research programs by providing a unique patient perspective to researchers who design and implement translational research studies. Through education, collaboration and outreach, patient advocates play a critical role in helping researchers bridge the gaps between science and patient care.
- Advocacy for the SPORE in Breast Cancer
- Advocacy for the SPORE in GI Cancer
- Advocacy for the SPORE in Lung Cancer
The Hope Connection Program, a peer-to-peer support program, connects patients and their families with trained volunteers who have personally experienced the challenges and complex issues of a cancer diagnosis. Volunteers are available to listen, talk, and offer support at any time before, during, and after cancer treatment.
Cancer Patient Education
The cancer patient education program plans and implements cancer patient education programs and provides educational resources to assist patients in making informed decisions about their cancer care.
The Patient Resource Center is a one-stop information resource for cancer-related issues for anyone that has been touched by cancer. It includes free brochures, pamphlets and access to web-based information, as well as a staff member to assist you.
In addition, each newly diagnosed cancer patient treated at VICC receives an educational notebook tailored to inform patients about cancer care, resources and support.
For more information about patient education initiatives, please call 615-322-9799.
Community Outreach
OPACE plans, implements and evaluates numerous community outreach programs each year. In an effort to share expertise and leverage resources, programs are planned in partnership with community, state and national cancer-related organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Gilda’s Club Nashville, The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation, TN Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition, Komen Foundation, and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Programs include cancer screenings; health fairs; cancer awareness month and survivorship programs. For a list of partnerships, see our Community Partners page.
Cancer Queens! A Cancer Prevention Musical Revue is a 45 minute, live show featuring skits and song and dance routines set to popular music with new educational lyrics that are consistent with the educational messages of the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. It is presented as a community education outreach program by VICC-OPACE. The cancer prevention, cancer risk reduction and early screening and detection messages presented in Cancer Queens! are based on the public health education initiatives of the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition. For more information see the Cancer Queens' website at cancerqueens.net.
