Native American Cancer Patient Navigation

UNM NABPI and Roswell Park Comphrensive Cancer Center Department of Indigenous Cancer Health Partnership

The partnership between Roswell Park’s Department of Indigenous Cancer Health and UNM NABPI is a transfer of knowledge about the Indigenous & Rural Patient Navigation Program at Roswell Park adapted to meet the needs of cancer disparities amongst the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico. In addition to developing NABPI’s own Native American Cancer Patient Navigation program (a free, non-clinical service delivery to community members), the program is also aimed at providing education around environmental health as it relates to cancer risk factors and developing state level policy to address cancer causing environmental exposures in New Mexico like radon and uranium. This project and partnership is supported through a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. 

NABPI staff and community leaders are trained by Indigenous Patient Navigators at Roswell Park and the George Washington University to become cancer patient navigators for our Pueblo communities. Our community-based cancer patient navigators are trained to help serve the unique needs and challenges of Pueblo patients and their families in New Mexico. The project aims to break down barriers surrounding cancer prevention, screening, treatment and education while in accordance with Pueblo values, customs, and traditions. For more about our partnership with Roswell Park, click here.

In the coming months, NABPI will announce the official launch of its community cancer patient navigation program. Once launched, UNM NABPI will have community based navigators available and ready to provide cancer health education and assist those in need of services. The UNM NABPI Cancer Patient Navigation program is a free, non-research and non-clinical based program, and navigators are trained in oncology Patient Navigation through George Washington University and follow National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines. 

For more information, please contact us at nabpihealth@unm.edu