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UF&Shands awarded two 2013 LIVESTRONG Foundation grants

UF&Shands has been awarded two 2013 grants from the LIVESTRONG Foundation for the Gainesville and Jacksonville campuses following a two-week online voting campaign across the nation.

The Shands Arts in Medicine program in Gainesville will receive funding to participate in The Creative Center at University Settlement, Outpatient Arts Program, while Shands Jacksonville Medical Center will receive grant money to participate in the Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification Program for Palliative Care model program. In total, more than $1 million will be distributed among 72 hospitals, cancer centers, universities and community-based organizations across the nation this year.

"We are honored for Shands Arts in Medicine and Shands Jacksonville Medical Center to have been selected to receive funding as partners in the LIVESTRONG Foundation's Community Impact Project," said David S. Guzick, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president for health affairs at UF and UF&Shands Health System president. "We share the organization's passion for inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer and look forward to working together to make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors and their families."

Shands Arts in Medicine will use the funding to expand its Mobile Inspiration Station, an ongoing program that serves cancer survivors in all stages, from newly diagnosed to post-treatment. The current program serves survivors through writing and art activities at the bedside and in monthly workshops.

"Thanks to funding from LIVESTRONG, we'll be able to implement weekly writing and visual art workshops in the resource center for cancer survivors. These workshops will have a primary focus on art making, expression, empowerment and connection, and will help us better serve patients as they manage their illness," said Tina Mullen, director of the Shands Arts in Medicine program.

The Joint Commission's Advanced Certification Program for Palliative Care will provide tools and training to 20 hospitals and cancer centers across the country to assist in their efforts to qualify for the certification.

"This is an honor for our program, our hospital and all of the people who work so hard to improve the lives of others," said Mark S. McIntosh, M.D., a UF associate professor of emergency medicine and medical director for Shands Jacksonville Integrative Palliative Care. "We want to thank everyone who took the time to vote for us, and we’d like to thank LIVESTRONG for providing this grant that will allow us to continue our mission."

The LIVESTRONG Foundation provides free cancer support services to help people cope with the financial, emotional and practical challenges that accompany the disease. For more information, visit LIVESTRONG.org.

Featured Faculty

Mark S. McIntosh, MD, MPH

Mark S. McIntosh, MD, MPH

Associate Professor
Medical Director, Palliative Care; Medical Director, UF Health Corporate Wellness