Dana Moore knows the importance of never missing an annual mammogram. In January 2015, a routine visit to her OBGYN led to an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis that required surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
“There were no warning signs, no family history—I was definitely blindsided,” said Dana Moore, a Raleigh resident and the associate director, managed care with the Duke University Health System.
On Tuesday, the organization 1 of Us partnered with Duke Raleigh Hospital to present a $120,000 gift over the next three years to setup a new fund to help patients and their families seeking care at Duke Raleigh Hospital cancer facilities.
The gift is named in honor of Dana and her husband Chris, who has been involved in supporting the mission of 1 of Us to assist women with cancer.
“We are thankful to Dana’s husband, Chris, a former member of the Duke Raleigh Hospital Board of Advisors for introducing 1 of Us to the hospital,” said Duke Raleigh Hospital Interim President Leigh Bleecker. “It was through this partnership that the new 1 of Us/Dana and Chris Moore Patient Assistance Fund was created to aid patients and their families who are experiencing financial hardship due to their treatment of breast or gynecologic cancer.”
The gift—part of the Duke Raleigh Cancer Center Fund—is designed to provide patients and their families seeking active treatment of breast or gynecologic cancer support for coverage of expenses that could include rent, utility bills, medical or pharmacy bills, and daycare payments so they can focus on their cancer fight.
“We are so excited to provide these funds to the patients of Duke Raleigh Hospital cancer centers,” said Stephanie Beguelin, Founder of 1 of Us. “We look forward to this partnership to help women in our community.”
Moore, who at the time of her diagnosis had just begun her role at Duke, credits the unwavering support of her co-workers and her family with helping her make it through her eight month cancer journey.
“I think there is such a stigma with cancer treatment that you are going to be so physically taxed that you cannot go on or function—that the treatment is worse than the disease. It is not. It is something that is doable if you have a support system,” said Dana. “But there are so many things that can fall through the cracks when you do not have that support system. It makes us feel good to be part of something that when we close our eyes at night we are able to help those that may not be lucky enough to have the support system I did.”
–By Erin McKenzie
Leave a Reply