Dignity Health Merced | helloHealthy | Spring 2019

4 DignityHealth.org/Merced | Spring 2019 Mercy UCDavis Cancer Center is recognized for high-quality, compassionate cancer care When you’re diagnosed with cancer, you’re looking for the best expert you can find. And that cancer expertise is exactly what you’ll find at the Mercy UC Davis Cancer Center. The experts at the cancer center provide more than excellent medical care—they offer all the support that people with cancer and their families so often need. For some people, that might mean access to nutritional services to help them better manage their chemo treatments. For others, it might mean helping them understand and follow through on their treatments. “Our cancer program is comprehensive, it’s high-quality, and the patient is at the center of it all,” says Kanwar Singh, Director of the cancer center. “They’re the ones who drive our care,” adds Minerva Silveira, BSN, RN, Nurse Manager of the cancer center. Best possible cancer care Mercy’s cancer program recently earned accreditation by the Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons. To earn the distinction (considered a gold standard), care teams at Mercy had to meet several national standards that show they provide the best possible cancer care. They also committed to a team approach of cancer care, which includes providing patients with: ●  ● Support services. For instance, a social worker is available who can help people with cancer solve practical issues related to their care, such as finding rides to medical appointments or locating possible financial resources. “We help people navigate barriers to cancer care,” Silveira says. ●  ● Access to clinical trials and new treatment options. ●  ● Follow-up care after treatment ends. ●  ● A free stop-smoking program. “We don’t just address the cancer diagnosis,” Singh says. “We address the anxiety and distress on the family that comes with it.” Our cancer experts LIVE for your LIFE