Organization: BAG IT
Mission: BAG IT EDUCATES, SUPPORTS, AND EMPOWERS THOSE IMPACTED BY CANCER.
Activities: SINCE 2003, BAG IT HAS PROVIDED EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO NEWLY DIAGNOSED CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ARIZONA TO HELP THEM COPE WITH THEIR CANCER TREATMENT. EARLY IN 2019 BAG IT DID AN EXTENSIVE REVISION OF THE BAG TO INCLUDE CONTENT FROM DIAGNOSIS THROUGH LIFE TO SUPPORT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING LONGER AFTER CANCER TREATMENT. THE BAG CONTINUES TO BE OFFERED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND IN 2020 CANCER-SPECIFIC BAGS BECAME AVAILABLE AS BAG IT COLLABORATED WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE PROVIDED THE BAG IT BAG TO OVER 80,500 CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BAG IT BAGS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO PATIENTS THROUGH ONCOLOGY AND RADIOLOGY OFFICES, CLINICS, HOSPITALS, TRIBAL HEALTH CENTERS, AND OTHER MEDICAL FACILITIES IN ARIZONA, 65 OF THESE SERVE PREDOMINATELY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE U.S. ALSO REQUEST AND ORDER BAGS DIRECTLY FROM BAG IT. ON FEEDBACK SURVEYS PATIENTS CONTINUE TO REPORT BAG IT WAS HELPFUL IN ASSISTING THEM TO COPE WITH THEIR CANCER, WORRY LESS, AND THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE TEAM. WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH A LOCAL NON-PROFIT, THE BEACON GROUP, WHICH PROVIDES JOBS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO ASSEMBLE AND SHIP THE BAG IT BAG. A MAJOR LOCAL BIKE RACE NAMED BAG IT THEIR PRIMARY BENEFICIARY FOR THE EIGHTH YEAR. IT IS A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY APPRECIATE AND WANT TO HELP CONTINUE OUR MISSION. BAG IT WAS INVITED FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO BE A SPONSORED PATIENT ORGANIZATION AT BOTH THE NCCN (NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK) AND ASCO (AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY) ANNUAL CONFERENCES, PROVIDING NATIONAL RECOGNITION. BAG IT IS SEEING AN INCREASE IN REQUESTS FROM INDIVIDUALS TO GIFT A BAG TO FRIENDS AND IS BEGINNING TO WORK WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS AND OTHER PARTNERS TO DISTRIBUTE BAGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BAG IT'S 4-DAY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FOR CANCER ADVOCATES, ESCAPE TO THRIVE (ENCOURAGING AND SUSTAINING CANCER ADVOCACY PROGRAMS AND EFFORTS) WAS EVALUATED TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS, ONCE AGAIN, BY ATTENDEES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ALTHOUGH SMALL BY DESIGN, THIS CONFERENCE IMPACTED HUNDREDS OF CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS AS ATTENDEES RETURNED HOME WITH MANY NEW SKILLS AND IMPROVED ATTITUDES TO CONTINUE THEIR ADVOCACY WORK. THE OVERALL GOALS ARE TO BUILD CAPACITY, DEVELOP COLLABORATIONS AND EXPLORE SELF-CARE. THE 2020 TOPICS WERE SURVIVORSHIP, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND ADVOCACY. SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN 2011, OVER 105 ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED AT ESCAPE TO THRIVE.
NTEE category: Voluntary Health Associations & Medical Disciplines
Secondary category: Health Care