Published: January 20, 2010 12:06 pm      

Local help for cancer issues

Rhonda Cox is new patient service liaison for American Cancer Society

By PAUL LORENZ

paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — Cancer patients and their families can go to the American Cancer Society for help.

And now they can do so through a local person.

Rhonda Cox of McLeansboro, whose day job is district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is taking on the volunteer position of patient service liaison with the American Cancer Society.

In her new role, Cox will be the first point of contact in the community for people who need help, providing information and support and making referrals to the Patient Service staff at the American Cancer Society office in Marion, a news release from that office said.

“I will basically be a go-between between the patient and the office in Marion,” she said.

The patient service liaison — or PSL — is a new volunteer position for the Marion-based office, which employs two patient service representatives.

Penni Quitsch, one of those representatives, works with patients and family members after a cancer diagnosis, “but for the most part, I am a stranger who works in Marion, and for many people that is a hindrance when reaching out for help,” she said in the news release.

“Having a local face, a patient service liaison, can be very helpful, especially when that person is a well known and trusted member of the local community,” Quitsch said.

The Marion office covers 22 Southern Illinois counties, including Hamilton, and there’s a feeling, Cox said, that the office is “missing a lot of people” who could benefit from the Cancer Society’s services.

Quitsch said she needs help reaching out to people.

“And people need to know when they reach out, they will find help,” she added.

Cox first became involved with the American Cancer Society through a neighbor, Sue Welch, who needed help organizing what was then Walk for Life, a four-hour fundraising event.

“When we got involved ... it seems like a lot of people didn’t understand that donations to the American Cancer Society come back to Hamilton County to benefit local people,” she said.

Cox, who has been involved with Walk for Life and now Relay for Life for 12 years, wanted to play a bigger role in helping people, not just raising money, she said.

“Basically, I am doing this so the people of Hamilton County can find out about help that is available,” she said.

As a PSL, Cox will also help with volunteer recruitment for ACS community outreach initiatives such as Road to Recovery, Look Good ... Feel Better and Reach to Recovery, as well as any additional opportunities for community outreach, the news release said.

“I became involved in Relay for Life to educate people about the ACS and the programs available,” she said. “This position will allow me to further expand on that goal.”