Duke's Cancer Patient Education program assists cancer patients and their families throughout their journey with cancer.
The program provides information about prevention and early detection, disease-specific cancers, treatments and side effects, research and clinical trials, complementary therapies, emotional care and support, children’s concerns, and end-of-life care.
An integral part of the Cancer Patient Education Program is the Patient and Family Resource Center (PFRC). The PFRC is a lending library with books, video and audio tapes, periodicals, brochures, magazines, and other written information aimed at helping patients and families learn about their situation, make informed choices about their treatment, and advocate for themselves.
Volunteers staff the PFRC and respond to walk-in and telephone requests from patients and families, help locate books and brochures, conduct online literature searches, give directions and provide an overview of the center.
This is a great opportunity for pre-med and nursing students, and others interested in the health field.
Volunteer Requirements
- Application process: Volunteers complete the Duke Medicine Volunteer Application, a background check, references, confidentiality agreement, and health screening.
- Training: Duke Medicine Volunteer Orientation includes Duke’s mission-values-goals, fire and safety, and confidentiality. Specific volunteer training in the policies and procedures to be followed in the Patient and Family Resource Center will be provided.
- Commitment: Four hours a week for a minimum of one year or two semesters.
- Hours: The Patient and Family Resource Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Evening, weekend, and holiday hours are not available.
- Physical requirements: Volunteers should have adequate vision, hearing, speech, and mobility to engage with minimal difficulty.
- Dress code: Volunteers should dress in clean, neat clothes suitable for an office environment. No shorts, jeans, warms-up suits, T-shirts with graphics, short skirts, cologne, or perfume. For safety reasons, open toe shoes are not permitted.
Volunteer Location
Patient and Family Resource Center
Morris Caner Clinic, Room 1968
200 Trent Drive
Durham, NC 27710
Contact
For more information, contact Holly D’Addurno, MLS, Director, Cancer Patient Education at 919-613-6275 or holly.daddurno@duke.edu.
