Continuing the Legacy of a Beloved Member

The Life Raft Group’s Health Equity Council (HEC) meets bi-weekly to advance our mission of ensuring that every patient has equitable access to the care and information they need. Made up of dedicated patient advocates, we are working to build strategies that strengthen collaboration with medical professionals and the patient community. Together, the council focuses on ways to close gaps in care and empower patients.

This mission has taken on deeper meaning as we honor the memory of beloved Council member Martina, whose passion for health equity inspired us all. As we mourn her loss, we remain determined to carry her legacy forward by ensuring that no patient is left behind.

At our most recent meeting, team member Rob (a veteran) shared encouraging news about his progress in connecting with leaders at the Veteran’s Association (VA). He is getting closer to a key decision-maker and working toward securing a meeting that could open the door to new opportunities for collaboration. By building these relationships, we hope to help the VA better support veterans impacted by sarcoma.

The Council also focused on outreach over the past few months to smaller cancer centers in the Southeast U.S., where many patients still lack access to the life-saving resources and information provided by The Life Raft Group. To make this work more effective, HEC developed a tracking system to organize centers we have already contacted and those we plan to reach out to. Team member Carolina has been tasked with locating cancer centers with large populations of Spanish speakers to provide bilingual outreach and educational materials. We intend to assist our leadership team in forming strong partnerships with these centers to establish consistent and effective communication and collaboration.

To keep up the momentum, the Council is also exploring ways to expand its team with additional volunteers who can strengthen our outreach and engagement efforts. If you are interested in joining the Health Equity Council, please email: rpauley@liferaftgroup.org

The Health Equity Council remains committed to building partnerships, broadening our reach, and ensuring that no patient is facing GIST alone. Every step brings us closer to a future where all patients have access to the knowledge, resources, and support they need to survive and thrive with GIST.

Our next meeting is scheduled for October 14.