Empowering Cancer Patients with Innovation and Compassion
At the WVU Medicine Cancer Institute – East, innovation in cancer care goes hand-in-hand with extraordinary compassion.
As our oncology team prepared to initiate BiTE therapy – an advanced, targeted immunotherapy that helps a patient’s own immune system better identify and attack cancer cells – clinicians identified a simple but critical need: Ensuring patients can safely monitor for potential side effects at home between appointments.
“Our team identified this need because we see, every day, how much our patients carry with them as they navigate complex treatments. Going the extra mile isn’t something we think about; it’s simply who we are,” explained Samantha Spearing, MSN, MBA, RN, OCN, Regional Director, Cancer Services – East. “By creating these monitoring kits, we wanted to remove barriers, ease worry at home, and make sure every patient feels safe and supported throughout their therapy. This is one more way we can stand beside our patients and deliver the level of care they deserve.”
Together, caregivers developed care bags that include a blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, and thermometer. These tools empower patients and families to watch key health indicators, communicate changes quickly to their care team, and feel more confident during treatment.
Recognizing that not every patient can afford these items, the WVU Hospitals East Foundation stepped in to fund the supplies, so cost would never be a barrier to safety.
Partnering with our outpatient pharmacy to secure items at cost, the team stretched donor dollars further, allowing more patients to benefit and more families to feel supported.
“At WVU Hospitals East, we measure our success not just by the treatments we offer, but by how we care for our neighbors,” said Jeannie Constable, Vice President of Marketing & Philanthropy. “These monitoring kits may seem simple, but they remove a financial burden, reduce worry at home, and help our clinical teams keep patients safer throughout complex therapies. This is our mission in action, advancing care while surrounding patients with compassion.”
Why It Matters
Patients receiving complex therapies already carry so much. Providing essential monitoring tools at no cost offers peace of mind, supports timely communication with care teams, and helps patients remain safely at home between visits.
It’s a modest investment with a meaningful, immediate impact on comfort, safety, and outcomes.
A Community Effort — and an Invitation
The Comfort Fund exists because of generous community members who share our commitment to exceptional care close to home. As the Cancer Institute expands advanced treatment options, needs like these grow as well. Donor support makes stories like this possible, and it’s how we continue building a healthier Eastern Panhandle for everyone.
If you are inspired by the dedication of our caregivers and the impact of these care kits, please consider a gift to the WVU Hospitals East Foundation. Your support directly helps patients, providing comfort items, critical monitoring tools, and resources that ease the journey through cancer care.