Budget snafu has cancer patients left waiting for treatment

It’s week three of free cancer support services being suspended at Guam Cancer Care in Tamuning.

“It’s been hard. Hard in a sense that our patients are calling in and because of our current status we can’t provide them the full gamut of what our programs provide to the community,” said Ellie Ongrung, Senior Patient Navigator.

The issue is a result of a lack of funding given to the Guam Cancer Trust Fund.

Senators had to pass a supplemental budget bill to get them the money but the hold up has left the staff at Guam Cancer Care with no choice but to provide limited services and use supplies from the prior grant year.

“Not what they expect. Usually we were able to fill the full order of the provider but with what we have available in stock is what we are providing currently to the patients,” said Ongrung. 

1,315 Active patients use the services here.

Six staff members including Ellie are doing all they can to keep patients worries at bay.

They are now waiting for the grant funding to be released from the trust fund.

Until then, they are unable to enroll newly diagnosed patients.

“So what we’ve been doing is holding their names and then once can get back to funded status we can process them fully,” she added. “It’s not [good]. I’ve had patients call in crying. It’s very heartbreaking.”

A main service offered is the Financial Assistance Program.

A program that goes to the providers to ensure there is no issue for patients getting treatment. 

“The patients are calling in and like what are we going to do, I can’t pay the co-payment. How am I going to get my IV this week, or next week, or in the next three weeks if your status is this,” she said. 

Ellie and her team are left searching for other options as well until they get the required funding.

“If it’s a cycle that can be pushed maybe a week or two weeks back they will go ahead and do that in hopes that we get funded again,” she added. 

KUAM asked, “what if it’s more severe?”

“If it’s more severe, in the interim myself and the provider POC’s for the clinic side are looking at what we can do on behalf of the patient so that if this status continues then there is a way that we can find for the patient to continue treatment,” said Ongrung. 

Guam Cancer Care applied for the grant funding last week and are awaiting approval. 

Leaving cancer patients with no choice but to wait for treatment.

KUAM also got a look around Guam Cancer Care's facility in Tamuning. We've got a follow up story you can watch on KUAM News Weekend edition.