There’s one common thread that connects all people facing cancer: the need for a good support system. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center offers clinics and programs to support you, your family and your caregivers throughout your cancer journey. Our goal is to decrease symptoms, improve health, facilitate recovery and nurture well-being.
Learn more about our support services below.
With our Cancer Patient Support Program (CPSP), our team guides you and your loved ones on your cancer journey through a variety of therapeutic offerings to reduce suffering and improve your quality of life.
With services like individual counseling, support groups and assistance from social workers, we can help you explore your feelings, cope with challenges, connect with peers and manage day-to-day activities.
To learn more about services offered by the CPSP, call 336-713-6954.
FaithHealth Chaplaincy and Clinical Ministries are available 24 hours a day to provide spiritual aid and other support to patients, their family members and employees at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Chaplains can be contacted from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, at 336-716-4745. After normal business hours you may call the hospital operator or ask your nurse to page the on-call chaplain.
The Davis Memorial Chapel is located on the first floor of Watlington Hall and is open 24 hours a day for prayer and meditation. Services are offered at the following times for patients, families, and staff:
- Worship service: Wednesdays at noon
- Prayer service: Mondays and Fridays at noon
Conversations of Love (Advance Directive Education)
In an informal setting, one of our chaplains can lead discussions about how our individual values shape our goals for medical care during times of illness and how advance care planning can assist in insuring that these goals are honored during moments of serious illness. Through proactive conversations with our loved ones, we can provide them with a gift of love through knowing our goals of care.
To set up an appointment, contact FaithHealth Ministries at 336-716-4745.
Financial Counseling
The Financial Counseling Department recognizes the financial burden that medical bills may cause, so if you are having difficulties paying your bill, please let us know. It is part of our mission at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist to help the communities we serve.
We aim to provide emergent and critical care to those in need, regardless of one’s ability to pay, and we can assist in providing financial assistance for those who have limited financial resources and do not qualify for outside assistance or have insurance or additional funding.
The Financial Counseling Department is located on the Main Floor, Reynolds Tower in the Discharge Office. They can be reached at 336-716-0681.
If you have questions about your application for financial assistance, please contact our dedicated financial counselors in the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Financial Counselors
- Lynn Wall: Call 336-716-3107 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Office is located on the 1st floor in Radiation Oncology.
- Cassandra Wagner (General Surgery): Call 336-713-9017 between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Office is located on the 4th floor behind Mammography.
Please call 336-713-6978 to schedule an appointment or ask to speak with a genetic counselor.
Physicians within Integrative Medicine - Highland Oaks are well-grounded in conventional medical care and have been trained in Integrative Medicine. Working in collaboration with your oncology provider, they offer evidence-based care recommendations, including individualized diet and lifestyle suggestions and guidance on the safe use of certain complementary therapies.
Integrative care can aid in the management of treatment side effects such as pain, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, and hot flashes, as well as help optimize health and well-being following treatment.
Care and services offered include integrative medicine consultations, traditional Chinese medicine (including acupuncture), non-medication ADHD therapies, mind/body therapies, pain management, nutrition consultations, healing touch and neurology consultations.
For appointments, call 336-713-6100.
We believe that everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, financial status or location deserves the best cancer care possible.
At the Office of Cancer Health Equity, our mission is to advance community engagement, clinical care and research focused on improving outcomes for everyone in our communities.
Our navigators work to ensure that every patient has access to quality care that meets their cultural and linguistic (language) needs. We offer help with health-related social needs such as transportation, gas costs, lodging, non-medical financial concerns, emotional support and clinical trial education.
If you have questions about our programs and services, please contact our patient navigators.
- African American Patient Navigator: Alexis Daniels, MS, OPN-CG 336-716-4575 or
AADaniel@WakeHealth.edu - Rural Patient Navigator: Carrie Galloway, PhD, MSW 336-716-4203 or
CEGallow@WakeHealth.edu - Hispanic Patient Navigator/Orientadora de Pacientes Hispanos (Se habla Español): Gilda Cowan, BS
336-716-5571 or GECowan@WakeHealth.edu - Adolescent and Young Adult Patient Navigator: Caleb Evington, MSW, LCSWA 336-713-3183 or CEvington@WakeHealth.edu
- Financial Navigator: Ashley Gonzalez 336-716-8246 or ASGonzal@WakeHealth.edu
- Manager: Emily Copus, MSW, OPN-CG 336-716-2940 or
Emily.Copus@WakeHealth.edu
Our financial navigation team works with patients and their families to help them reduce stress or hardship related to the cost of their cancer treatment. Financial navigators can help you understand your out-of-pocket expenses and what your health insurance plans may cover, as well as connect you to appropriate resources for your needs.
Navigators
- Melinda Smith, MSSW 336-713-2688 located on 3rd floor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center near the Cancer Patient Support Program area
- Petra Benjamin, BS 336-713-6657 located on 4th floor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center near the elevators
- Sabrina Hauser, BS 336-781-4856 located at Hayworth Cancer Center in High Point on the 3rd floor
- Vincent Brinkley, BMT/CAR-T Financial Coordinator 336-716-0937 located on the 8th floor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center
Oncology nurse navigators assist patients, families and caregivers in understanding cancer, treatment options and research studies. They also help coordinate your care throughout the Cancer Center. Navigators offer emotional support, and connect you and your loved ones with services and resources for transportation, financial difficulty, emotional distress, and other barriers to your treatment and well-being.
To ensure a timely response to your calls, please call our “Navigator of the Week” number 336-713-3209. This navigator will connect you with the appropriate oncology nurse navigator.
- Breast Navigator: Jennifer Maclean BS, RN, OCN
- Breast Navigator: Elizabeth Outlaw, BSN, RN, OCN
- Colorectal/Gastrointestinal (GI) Navigator: Rebecca Harmon, BSN, RN
- Gastrointestinal Navigator: Scarlett Hutchens, BSN, RN, OCN
- Gynecology Navigator: Faye Ellen Martin, BSN, RN, CCM
- Head & Neck Navigator: Brittany Edathil, BSN, RN
- Neuro Navigator: Annette Carter, MSN, RN, CNRN
- Lymphoma/Melanoma Navigator: Sunshine Poerio, MSN, RN
- Precision Medicine Navigator: Robin M. Petro, BSN, RN, CCRN, OCN, ONN-CG
- Thoracic Navigator: Lisa Flowers, BSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG
- Leukemia/Multiple Myeloma Navigator: Teresa Brady, BSN, RN
- Genitourinary Navigator: Katina Hayes, BSN, RN
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy can help you improve strength, function and independence during and after cancer treatment.
With physical therapy, we can help you address balance problems, difficulty walking, endurance, and pain to improve your safety and maximize physical function. And through occupational therapy, we can help you manage limitations with daily activities to improve your safety and well-being.
A physical or occupational therapist can also assist with lymphedema management, which helps reduce enlargement, fullness and achiness following breast cancer surgery.
For an outpatient appointment, please call 336-716-8400.Recreation Therapy can offer a variety of services and recreational opportunities to assist with your daily structure and coping ability during your hospitalization.
Treatment services restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence, as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. Recreation services provide opportunities for self-expression, independence, stimulation, control, security and creativity.
Together, these services provide individuals with other positive outcomes such as adjustment to medical procedures, fitness, relaxation, changes in lifestyle, release from stress and satisfying social interaction.
For questions or make an appointment call 336-716-2011. For inpatient assistance call 336-716-6801.
Aquatic Programs, such as warm-water pool classes for adults (arthritis, low impact, moderate and cardio), are offered in the Sticht Center. Ai Chi, a form of aquatic exercise, is also open to everyone at Salemtowne Retirement Community on Mondays and Wednesdays at 1 pm. Pre-registration is required for all classes. To register or to receive more information, contact Debbie Drayton at 336-713-8082 or email DDrayton@WakeHealth.edu.
Massage Therapy offers many different kinds of massages, including chair massages which are available in the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Their other locations include the Sticht Center, Medical Plaza - Miller, and Integrative Medicine - Highland Oaks. For more details, contact Suzanne Melcher-Thompson at 336-713-3088 or 336-716-8304. You can also email her at SThompso@WakeHealth.edu. Massage gift certificates are available in the main hospital gift shop.
Our Cancer Patient Support Program sponsors FREE chair massages outside the Hospitality Room on the 3rd floor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center. For dates and times, check the CPSP monthly calendar left at the Information Desks on the 1st and 4th floors of the Comprehensive Cancer Center or call 336-713-6954.
Sally Benfield can assist with finding financial resources, coping with illness, caregiver stress, working with the medical team to set up and coordinate home care, ordering medical equipment, as well as general information and referral.
Our dedicated social worker is located on the 2nd floor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
For an appointment, call Sally Benfield: Call 336-713-5419 or email Sbenfiel@akehealth.edu.
Located on the 4th floor of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Supportive Care Outpatient Oncology Clinic can help manage symptoms you may have related to side effects such as: fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nerve pain, anxiety, depression, etc. The goal of the clinic is to provide a safe haven for patients and to improve overall quality of life and function.
Our dedicated providers include Jennifer Gabbard, MD, and Carl R. Grey, MD. The supportive care team is available by request to inpatients. Please call 336-713-5440 if you have questions or would like an appointment.