CSC CEO Kim Thiboldeaux Receives President's Community Award From IPOS
BANFF, CANADA – (Thursday, September 26, 2019) – At a global conference featuring health experts and thought leaders, the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) presented Cancer Support Community CEO Kim Thiboldeaux with its President’s Community Award for Distinguished Contributions to IPOS.
Presented during a plenary session at the IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology and Psychosocial Academy, the President’s Community Award for Distinguished Contributions is an award that is made to an individual, group or organization in the community that, in the opinion of the organization’s board of directors, has made an outstanding contribution of great significance to the Society.
Founded in 1984, IPOS was created to foster international multidisciplinary communication about clinical, educational, and research issues that relate to the subspecialty of psycho-oncology and two primary psychosocial dimensions of cancer: response of patients, families, and staff to cancer and its treatment at all stages; and psychological, social, and behavioral factors that influence tumor progression and survival.
“It is truly an honor to receive this recognition from the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), and I accept on behalf of patients and families who are the inspiration for our work,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “IPOS is an inspiring organization that brings together leaders from all corners of the world to advance ideas and policies that benefit individuals affected by cancer. I look forward to continuing to exchange ideas and share experience with fellow IPOS members to ensure that we have a global approach to addressing the needs of patients.”
“Kim Thiboldeaux represents the essence of this prestigious award,” said Maria Die Trill, Ph.D., President, IPOS Board of Directors. “Kim believes the patient’s voice must be at the center of the global conversation about cancer, and she works tirelessly to ensure that conversation is inclusive, robust, and results-oriented. Among her many contributions to our sector, Kim has brought new voices to our convenings and fostered a collaborative spirit that benefits all of us.”
As CEO of CSC, Thiboldeaux oversees all aspects of the organization, including the growing Cancer Policy Institute and Philadelphia-based Research & Training Institute—both of which were part of the IPOS convening’s program.
Elizabeth Franklin, LGSW, ACSW, Executive Director of CSC’s Policy Institute, delivered remarks at the IPOS convening regarding the organization’s CancerSupportSource®, which is a validated, flexible distress-screening program that, when fully implemented, automatically generates reports for clinicians and respondents that include tailored information based on respondents’ identified concerns.
In addition to Franklin’s remarks, CSC presented findings from a study in which its researchers surveyed 3,318 individuals diagnosed with cancer who are enrolled in CSC’s Cancer Experience Registry®. Participants provided demographic, clinical, and cost of care information, and completed the CancerSupportSource’s 25-item distress screening tool that includes 2-item depression risk and 2-item anxiety risk subscales. The study produced the following key findings:
- Higher out-of-pocket costs predict increased concern about health insurance and money worries, which in turn predicts odds of anxiety risk and depression risk
- Postponing psychological counseling to reduce cost of care predicts anxiety and depression risk odds
- The need for doctor-patient cost of care communication and financial counseling to mitigate the impact of financial burden on quality-of-life, treatment, and health outcomes
A full summary of the study is available here.