January 6, 2006

MGH Cancer Center creates multilingual materials for patients

The MGH Cancer Center is developing a project that will transform the way women from different cultures receive important medical information at the MGH and throughout Boston — creating materials about women's cancers and translating them into 10 different languages. Project leader Karen Donelan, of the MGH Hematology/Oncology Unit and the Institute for Health Policy, submitted a grant
proposal to Gillette Inc., and received approval last year. The project will include materials such as CD-ROMs, online resources and audio materials for health care providers to share with patients. These materials will be distributed to health centers and other health care organizations.

"We're excited about this project because it will meet an outreach need and be useful to many areas throughout Boston," says Donelan. "The material will not be MGH specific, so that women from all over the Boston area will benefit from this medical information."

The project team includes Karin Hobrecker, a translation specialist for MGH Interpreter Services; Debbie Essig, MSW, and Sally Hooper, MSW, co-directors
of the MGH Cancer Resource Room; Katie Binda, MSW, director of the HOPES
program; Barbara Cashavelly, MSN, RN, nurse manager for the Cancer Center;
and Mary Ellen Heike, RN, staff specialist for Women's Health.

The first set of materials is scheduled for release in early spring. For more
information or to become involved with the project, send e-mail to Donelan at kdonelan@partners.org.