HVEDC ADVISORY BOARD GAINS NEW DIRECTOR

Casey MacDonald, president and CEO of Hudson Valley Cancer has joined the Advisory Board of Directors of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. (HVEDC).

A 25-year survivor of lymphoma and a cancer patient advocate of 20 years, MacDonald and her husband were diagnosed within weeks of one another with incurable cancers. She created Hudson Valley Cancer Resource Center, now known as Hudson Valley Cancer (HVC) in 2012 to make the cancer journey easier for cancer patients and their families.

Hudson Valley Cancer provides patient navigation services to anyone affected by cancer in the nine-county region of the Hudson Valley and Sullivan County. Patients are guided through the care continuum and connected to oncology support organizations, programs and services and can also apply for financial assistance through HVC”™s grant program.

HVC started the first support group for young adults with cancer in the Hudson Valley, creating and hosting the first Cancer Survivorship Summit, an educational conference for cancer survivors, patients, caregivers and health-care professionals in the Hudson Valley. MacDonald also created Hudson Valley Cancer Alliance, an educational networking organization for oncology-related professionals to share ideas, information and education to better serve cancer patients in the region. MacDonald holds a master”™s degree in health advocacy from Sarah Lawrence College and is a nationally certified Oncology Patient Navigator.

HVC partners with more than 80 national and local organizations to expand the reach of services for patients in 10 counties ”“ Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, northern Westchester, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster counties.