Cancer outreach program launched in western P.E.I.

The Canadian Cancer Society has launched a new community outreach program in western P.E.I. designed to increase support to people in thecommunity.

Volunteers have recently been trained in the Alberton area to connect with cancer patients and their families.

They'll provide one-on-one emotional support and let them know about programs and services that can be tapped into.

Officials with the society are concerned people in the rural parts of the Island don't seem to access their services as much as people in Charlottetown or Summerside.

The community outreach coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society on P.E.I,Anja Salijevic,hopes the new programand its volunteers will change that.

"They are the ones that know the community the best," said Salijevic."And they can go out and meet with them one-on-one and they can provide anysupport in that sense. Just kind of talk to them."

She stresses a great resource is a national toll free phone number staffed by people who are equipped to answer questions about a specific diagnosis or about clinical trials that are underway. That number is 1-888-939-3333.

Salijevic notedanother goal of the outreach program is public education on ways to reduce the risk of getting cancer.

She saidthey hope to eventually offer a similar program in the Souris area to help people in eastern P.E.I.