Cancer Navigation & Support

Here For You Every Step of Your Cancer Journey

At our Cancer Center, patients never face cancer alone. Our comprehensive navigation and support services are designed to guide individuals and families through every step of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.

Oncology Nurse Navigators serve as personal guides, helping coordinate care, answer questions, and connect you to the resources you need.

For those at increased risk, our High-Risk Cancer Clinic—including a dedicated High-Risk Breast Health Clinic—offers personalized screening, prevention strategies, and early detection tools.

Our support continues beyond treatment. We offer lymphedema management, financial counseling, and medication assistance to help reduce the physical and financial burdens of care. Licensed social workers and clinical nutritionists provide emotional and nutritional support, while our survivorship programs help patients transition into life after treatment with confidence and care.

Nurse Navigation

A cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. At Columbus Regional Health, our Oncology Nurse Navigators are here to guide you from the moment of diagnosis through every step of your treatment and recovery.

Our Nurse Navigators are experienced oncology nurses who serve as trusted advocates, educators, and coordinators of care. They work closely with your medical team to ensure nothing falls through the cracks—and that you always know what to expect next.

Your Nurse Navigator can help you:

• Understand your diagnosis and treatment options
• Coordinate appointments and communicate with your providers
• Connect with resources like financial counseling, nutrition, social work, and support services
• Manage barriers to care, such as transportation or insurance challenges
• Feel emotionally supported during a stressful time

You’ll have a consistent point of contact who knows your case, listens to your concerns, and helps make the process more manageable.

Meet our team of dedicated Nurse Navigators and learn more about how they support patients at every stage:

Explore Our Nurse Navigation Program

High-Risk Breast Clinic

For individuals with an increased risk of developing breast cancer, the High-Risk Breast Health Clinic at Columbus Regional Health provides expert guidance, proactive care, and personalized support.

Whether your risk stems from family history, genetic factors, dense breast tissue, or a previous biopsy, our multidisciplinary team is here to help you understand your risk and take action.

Through services like comprehensive risk assessment, advanced imaging, genetic counseling, and ongoing surveillance, we work with you to create a customized breast health plan focused on early detection and prevention.

We also offer specialized evaluation and management for benign but potentially concerning breast conditions, including:

• Fibroadenoma
• Intraductal Papilloma
• Atypical Hyperplasia
• Breast Pain (Mastalgia)
• Dense Breast Tissue

Learn how our High-Risk Breast Clinic helps patients take charge of their long-term breast health.

Learn more about High-Risk Breast Health

Social Work

Our certified oncology social worker is dedicated to serving the physical and emotional needs of our patients and their families.

The social worker can assist with the following:

• Helping patients and families cope through their journey and the many emotions they may experience.
• Identifying appropriate financial assistance programs and possible insurance benefits, including disability.
• Providing advance directive information (identifies who can make decisions on the patient’s behalf if they are unable to).
• Offering information on support groups and counselling resources.
• Facilitating discussion about difficult care decisions when appropriate.

The social worker can also help explain and clarify:

• How to communicate with the healthcare team.
• How to talk with children, family, friends, and coworkers.
• How to use relaxation skills to reduce stress.
• How cancer affects intimacy, identity issues, and the individual’s relationship with their body.
• Living beyond the cancer diagnosis and common survivorship concerns.

Clinical Nutrition Services

Our oncology dietitian can support patients and their families in the following ways:

• Developing a plan for good nutrition before, during, and after treatment.
• Providing education about treatment-related side effects that may interfere with the patient’s ability to eat.
• Recommending appropriate oral nutritional supplements, and, if eating by mouth is not an option, helping with understanding and managing a feeding tube to maintain good nutrition.
• Providing nutritional counseling for cancer prevention, survivorship, and caregiver support.

Medication Assistance Program

We understand that the cost of long-term medications can be a burden—especially during cancer treatment. That’s why our Medication Assistance Program is here to help eligible patients access the prescriptions they need at little or no cost.

Working closely with your physician, our program coordinators:

• Identify prescription assistance programs offered by drug manufacturers
• Assess your eligibility
• Help you complete and submit applications
• Ensure you receive approved medications in a timely manner

If you’re concerned about affording your medications, talk to your care team or navigator. We’re here to help you find the support you need.

Learn More About the Medication Assistance Program

Billing & Financial Assistance

Our Financial Advocates are responsible for assisting patients and their families in accessing financial resources and navigating the complex avenues of insurance. The Advocate explores whether patients qualify for assistance through manufacturers, grants or government programs. The Advocate is available for questions regarding insurance coverage, prior authorizations for services and hospital billing. Our Advocate may also provide financial assistance through drug programs for home medications prescribed by our Cancer Center physicians as well. If FMLA and/or disability paperwork is required by the patient, the advocate will assist in the completion of these forms.

Our Financial Advocate may be contacted at 812.37 6.5575 or 800.841.4 938 Ext. 5575

Cancer Rehabilitation

Cancer and cancer treatments sometimes cause problems. They can cause you pain, make you feel tired and keep you from doing the things that you need or want to do. Cancer rehabilitation can help. Our goal is to reduce these troubling effects and help you have the best quality of life possible.

Ask your medical team if a referral for cancer rehabilitation services would beneficial for you.

Lymphedema Support

Lymphedema is a common side effect of certain cancer treatments, especially those involving surgery or radiation to the lymph nodes. It occurs when lymph fluid builds up in the body’s tissues, often causing swelling in the arms, legs, or chest wall. While lymphedema can be a long-term condition, early diagnosis and proper care can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

At Columbus Regional Health, our cancer support team helps patients recognize the signs of lymphedema and connect with specialized services, including compression therapy, manual lymphatic drainage, and personalized exercise programs. Our goal is to help you manage symptoms, prevent complications, and stay active and comfortable throughout your cancer journey.

Life After Cancer: Survivorship Support

Surviving cancer is a major milestone—but recovery doesn’t end when treatment does. At Columbus Regional Health, our survivorship services are here to help you navigate what comes next. From managing long-term side effects to addressing emotional, physical, and practical concerns, we’re committed to supporting your health and well-being in the months and years after treatment.

Our survivorship team provides:

• Personalized follow-up care plans
• Support for physical and emotional recovery
• Education about late effects and health monitoring
• Help with returning to work or daily routines
• Connections to support groups and wellness resources

Whether you're newly in remission or years into your survivorship journey, you’re not alone. We’re here to walk beside you every step of the way.