Department Spotlight: Cancer Support Services

When someone hears the phrase no one ever wants to hear – “You have cancer” –life shifts in an instant. Questions race through the mind. “What happens next?” “Where do I go?” “How do I cope with this news?” “How do I fight back?” The answers to those questions make up only a fraction of the cancer care checklist. Those fighting the disease deserve all the help they could possibly get to ease the mental and emotional burden. Accessing all the resources and support they need is a hurdle they don’t have to worry about, because...

...They have the Renown Health Cancer Support Services department on their side. This team works beyond the bedside to ensure that any patient in treatment for cancer can experience even a little bit of relief knowing that they have a group of oncology specifically-trained nurse navigators, program managers, quality coordinators, social workers, financial resource advocates, community healthcare specialists, dietitians, support coordinators and more guiding them towards the best support possible. One day at a time, these team members make sure no patient has to Fight the Good Fight alone.

Lending a Helping Hand

Impacting the lives of patients at the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute at Renown, our Cancer Support Services team has a passion for helping patients in their most intimidating moments along their healthcare journey. They administer and refer patients to a world of programs and resources available to them at low-to-no cost, including:

• Cancer Support Groups
• Workshops & Classes
• Counseling Services
• Financial Advocacy
• Nutrition Services
• Survivorship Programs
• Community Events
• Oncology Wellness Program
• Cancer Screening & Prevention Education
• Genetic Testing
• Sally de Lipkau Resource Center, featuring a lending library and access to wigs, scarves, breast cancer pillows, blankets, hats and more

“The Cancer Support Services team is a diverse team of individuals who do so many things day in and day out for our cancer patients,” said Kori Pitt, Oncology Program Manager. “Our small but mighty team functions in all facets to allow our cancer patients and caregivers to feel supported throughout their cancer journey and into survivorship.”

Each employee in this department has an important role that is vital to each patient’s fight, helping them cope and find community support.

“My role encompasses a variety of responsibilities that are essential to the well-being of patients with cancer,” said Kristina Benavidez, Cancer Support Coordinator. “I help oversee the Sally de Lipkau Cancer Resource Center and our support groups, which provide patients with a space to connect and share their experiences. I also manage a monthly calendar that outlines services available to patients through Renown Health, the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute, the Conrad Breast Center (opening in May 2025) and our partners. Furthermore, I assist with guided imagery groups, which offer therapeutic techniques to promote relaxation and coping strategies. I strive to enhance the support network available to our patients and contribute to their journey toward healing.”

“As a social worker, I meet with many different people and work with multiple disciplines,” added Jocelyn Mata, Social Worker – Outpatient Oncology. “We conduct socio-economic assessments of patients and ensure they are provided with resources they are eligible for. Being a bilingual social worker comes in handy with our Latino population, and I love connecting with them and sharing in our cultural background. I attend multi-disciplinary conferences daily depending on the cancer diagnosis and provide psychosocial perspectives. Although this is a hard field, it is also the most rewarding.”

When it comes to barriers to healthcare, you may think first about financial constraints, access to transportation to appointments, lifestyle concerns and other socioeconomic determinants of health. Our Cancer Support Services team takes all of that, and more, into account, especially for those who are feeling overwhelmed at the thought of treatment.

“I meet with patients early in their cancer journey to see if they are facing any barriers that might impact their ability to focus on their treatment,” said Liliana Cueva, Oncology Community Healthcare Specialist. “I also coordinate community events where I promote cancer prevention and encourage cancer screenings. I am proud of the number of patients we positively impact by addressing barriers, providing internal and external resources and supporting our patients while battling cancer.”

“As Cancer Nurse Navigators, we spend the majority of our time contacting patients by phone or in person and "’take things off their plate’ related to questions, concerns or barriers to care," added Debbie Walter, Cancer Nurse Navigator.

Our Cancer Support Services team members are always enhancing their knowledge and renewing their advanced certifications and quality care accreditations to best serve their patients. They agree with the age-old saying that “knowledge is power,” especially when it comes to helping and educating patients to understand every step of their journey and ensuring the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute maintains the highest of standards.

“As the Program Manager, I oversee programmatic compliance for three oncology accreditations,” said Kori Pitt. “I collaborate closely with oncology physicians, support teams, social workers and nurses to improve patient care through quality improvement projects. We are currently getting ready for our American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) re-accreditation survey, so I, along with my small but mighty team, are prepping documents from the last three years to show that we are compliant or exceed accreditation standards."

“I believe knowledge is power, and what you don't know, you don't know,” added Cathleen Lynch, Quality Coordinator – Cancer Registry. “I have a very unique job as a cancer registry professional. I collect and report on cancer data for Renown. A typical day can include measuring our compliance with one of our accreditation bodies or providing data to a physician that wants to review a patient population for a clinical trial. What I do drives outcomes, research and efficacy of treatment modalities and tracks survivorship.”

“I dedicate my first 30 minutes of every day to learning something new – from resource availability to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for treatment and side effects,” added Kim Bradstreet, Cancer Nurse Navigator. “I then review my calendar and do my daily patient outreach. My goal is to meet every cancer patient in my service line at one of their appointments. The purpose is for the patient to understand when you don't know where to go, we are still here for you. You are not alone.”

Understanding the financial aspect of healthcare, especially cancer care, can be complex. Patients with cancer have access to their own dedicated Financial Resource Advocates who help them navigate insurance, billing, financial aid and more.

“In our role as Financial Resource Advocates, we compile patients’ insurance benefits, help them understand their insurance benefits and address any questions or concerns,” said Sarah Shelton, Financial Resource Advocate. “We help with cost of care financial barriers through screening patients for insurance options, grants, financial assistance applications and billing issues. We communicate with patients that we are here to help and encourage them to reach out any time.”

This entire Cancer Support Services team intimately understands the challenges patients and their families face after a cancer diagnosis. They are devoted to helping every patient fighting cancer receive much-needed guidance throughout their journey.

Nurturing a Healthier Nevada

For every 100,000 residents in Nevada, around 388 of them are fighting cancer, according to Nevada Tomorrow. Fortunately, the number of people with cancer in our state continues to decrease year after year.

The tireless efforts of Nevada’s cancer prevention experts, including Renown’s Cancer Support Services department, helped contribute to this trend by providing education and access to preventive screenings to everyone in Nevada, including our rural communities.

“Our entire team is committed to outreaching to all of Nevada, including rural areas, in the prevention of cancer through various events and working with other organizations to reach every Nevadan,” said Jocelyn Mata.

“Oncology Nursing Navigation listens to the patients' challenges and provides educational opportunities, from health fairs to wellness and prevention,” added Kim Bradstreet. “I am also proud that the organization is invested in excellence in cancer care by hiring physicians that are dedicated to our patients.”

Everyone in this department is committed to providing the gold standard of care, working to keep our communities healthy by prioritizing cancer prevention and early detection.

“All members of the support services team attend a monthly Community Event Planning meeting, where we discuss upcoming community events that offer the opportunity to meet people in public spaces and share information on cancer screening, scheduling and assistance through Renown,” said Debbie Walter.

“We are dedicated to screening and prevention efforts,” added Kristina Benavidez. “We actively volunteer at community events to provide educational resources to our community. Several team members have shown exceptional commitment to raising awareness about HPV prevention within the Renown Health network, extending our educational outreach to pediatrics and beyond.”

The entire team at the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute is looking forward to major milestones that will expand access to breast cancer care in northern Nevada, and in the meantime, they are working hard to ensure all of Renown’s breast cancer accreditations are in tip-top shape.

“The Pennington Cancer Institute will be opening the Conrad Breast Center in May 2025, which will be a wonderful and much needed breast care facility,” said Cathleen Lynch. “With that, we have a wellness physician to assist patients through their cancer journey and survivorship."

“We passed our National Accreditation Program Breast Centers accreditation last year with 100% compliance and are the only accredited program in northern Nevada,” added Kori Pitt. “That couldn't have happened without the amazing contributions and dedication our team has put in over the years.”

Beyond the large victories, this department’s employees take a lot of pride in their everyday accomplishments, from donation drives to putting smiles on patients’ faces.

“I take the most pride in the small victories we achieve for our cancer patients every day,” said Kristina Benavidez. “These include organizing a successful nutrition drink drive to alleviate the financial burden of purchasing these costly drinks, securing and distributing transportation and lodging grants, providing wigs and head coverings for those experiencing chemotherapy-induced alopecia and offering support throughout each step of the cancer journey.”

“To me, a notable accomplishment is a time you can make a patient smile and feel they are not alone,” added Sarah Shelton. “I enjoy moments when we can relieve a patient’s worry or an obstacle. Patients feel comforted knowing someone cared enough to try."

Some members of this team, including Jocelyn Mata, have taken their achievements to the national level. Employees like Jocelyn are honored to share their expertise with cancer care professionals across the country, helping improve outcomes for patients in Nevada.

“I am beyond proud of being selected to present at the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) Conference this June in Atlanta,” said Jocelyn Mata. “I have been working on the implementation and administration of psychosocial distress screenings for our cancer patients. I co-authored an abstract and was selected to present at the conference. I never even imagined having the opportunity to go to college as a Mexican immigrant, let alone have a master's level education, and to be chosen to present nationally is a huge deal to me. I also now serve as the AOSW Nevada State Representative, making sure Nevada is represented on a national level with our unique needs.”

“We have presented more than 1,200 patient cases at cancer conferences in an interdisciplinary approach to quality care,” added Susan Cox, Senior Director of Cancer Operations. “The team includes Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Pathology, Imaging/Radiology and Cancer Support Services.”

No matter what, our Cancer Support Services department are steadfast in their commitment to building a healthier Nevada, one resource at a time.

Putting People First

Renown Health is a proud People First organization, focused on creating environments where people feel safe, valued, supported and respected. This promise extends to both our employees and patients – and it’s a commitment the Cancer Support Services team takes seriously.

“In this department, it is important to have compassion for all patients during this phase of their lives,” said Liliana Cueva. “We put the patient first and collaborate with their entire cancer team.”

“To meet each patient's unique needs and optimize their cancer care journey, upholding our values People First and Collaboration are the most important,” added Debbie Walter. “Bottom line, the patients are why we are here."

“The support services team is centered around helping our patients, so our approach is People First,” added Sarah Shelton. “Our patients have quite a journey full of emotions and physical challenges. I’ve been working on this team for nine years and see caring people strive for excellence because they truly want the best outcome for our patients.”

Showing compassion during all parts of each patient’s cancer care journey is important to put our people first. Being a constant resource for patients comes naturally to this team.

“I have the privilege to work with the Nurse Navigation and Social Work team in my role, and I see them go above and beyond what is expected of them,” said Cathleen Lynch. "What is required of this team extends to beyond just being available to the patient. They coordinate visits, necessary imaging, financial resources and wellness checks.”

These employees come from many different backgrounds and walks of life. Despite any of their individual unique differences, they all had something in common: they practiced putting people first with compassion in every job they’ve had. Everyone brought those passions to the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute. Let’s hear from some of our Cancer Support Services team members on why they chose a career in this department:

• “I have a diverse healthcare background. I was the practice manager at a private oncology practice, which helped me develop a strong foundation in cancer care and understand the challenges patients face during treatment. I was drawn to Renown's Cancer Support Services team because I am passionate about making a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. Renown's commitment to providing comprehensive support for patients resonated with me.” - Kristina Benavidez
• “I'm a patient advocate who is passionate about public health and empowering patients to take charge of their health. Cancer patients have always held a special place in my heart, and I enjoy assisting patients during their journey. I also love that I promote cancer screenings and prevention at community events.” - Liliana Cueva
• “I started my social work career in El Dorado County Child Protective Services (CPS) working on the emergency response unit responding to reports of abuse or neglect of children. After six years with CPS,I applied for a job at the State of Nevada Quality Assurance for Child Welfare, where I spent time in rural Nevada teaching future CPS Social Workers in the field. I had a dream of working in oncology, so I changed the entire focus of my career to medical social work. I have been with Renown for 10 years and never take a day here for granted.”- Jocelyn Mata
• "I've been an oncology nurse for over 30 years. When I was informed of an open position for Nurse Navigation on the Support Services team, I was very excited to interview! I love my job and the people I get to work with in support of our oncology patients and their support teams.” - Debbie Walter
• "I had been certified as a cancer registry professional for a few years, and I wanted to relocate to Reno from North Carolina, since my siblings and oldest daughter were living in Reno. I applied for an open position, and when I was offered the role, I drove across the country. I have been here since Nov. 2015.” - Cathleen Lynch
• “Cancer touched my life at a very young age, and I witnessed my grandfather fight gastric cancer for 10 years. Oncology care fascinated me. I choose Renown Oncology Care because the providers specialize, following trials and research and are dedicated to assisting our community of patients in excellent care throughout their journey.” - Kim Bradstreet
• “I started as a Patient Access Representative in Roseview Surgery at Renown when I graduated with my bachelor's degree in 2013. Almost a decade later, after moving to Oregon and Texas, I moved back to Reno and became the Program Manager for the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute. Prior to that, I was working at the American Cancer Society in Texas, helping hospitals just like Renown develop and implement their cancer prevention/screening initiatives.” - Kori Pitt
• "After working for a specialty physician’s office for 16 years, I returned to Renown after coming across a job posting for a Financial Resource Advocate. It was wonderful to see Renown support services for oncology patients which matched my passion to help those in need.” - Sarah Shelton

Dedicated to providing compassionate care that extends beyond medical treatment, our Cancer Support Services team is an integral part of our mission to save lives, nurture minds and care for all people. 

“It is an honor to work with so many dedicated, caring and compassionate people. The patient always comes first with this team! I am so proud to be a part of this team and a Renown employee,” closes Cathleen Lynch.