Project H.E.R. (Help. Enlightenment. Resources) is a comprehensive Oncology support program offered to cancer patients in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties.

The program provides awareness, education, and support from a cancer diagnosis through survivorship. The Project H.E.R. team consists of a nurse navigator and many volunteers who are cancer survivors.

Help

Project H.E.R. provides the following services to cancer patients:

• Direct contact with an Oncology Nurse Navigator who can assist with your oncologic care and support from diagnosis to survivorship. We also offer education and support groups.
• We partner with Dream Dinners to provide a free food program called Cook for Cancer. We have a one-time $500 grant for financial aid, gas cards to assist with travel expenses, and grocery cards available to patients.
• Project H.E.R. provides free services for cancer patients through the financial assistance of The Corvallis Clinic Foundation, grants, and private donations. The Cook for Cancer program is funded by Dream Dinners and The Corvallis Clinic Foundation.

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, one of your greatest resources is our Health Nurse Navigator, Kathy Nepper, RN, OCN. She can help you coordinate healthcare resources, understand the disease and treatment options, answer questions about treatment methods, surgery, time frames, and side effects. She will help you understand the various medical doctors you will meet. If surgery is required, she stays in touch with you before and after surgery. She is available to you and your family for as long as needed.

Patients can contact our Project H.E.R. nurse directly or be referred by a health care professional. She works closely with all area physicians. Your physician will discuss the time frame, and the Project H.E.R. nurse will help you understand your options. This includes the most accurate clinical information from books, qualified online sites, and community programs. Through learning, you will regain a sense of control in your life and make informed decisions with your health care team.

Enlightenment

Project H.E.R. provides survivor mentors who are uniquely qualified to offer insight to newly diagnosed cancer patients. They are volunteers who serve patients free of charge throughout Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. Project H.E.R. mentors help patients find the right medical service providers, maneuver through the appropriate channels, and get the latest information.

The mentors are trained to provide much-needed support to cancer patients. This peer support may be the most powerful therapy a cancer patient initially receives.

Resources

Support Groups
Until further notice, all of our cancer support groups are taking place virtually on Zoom. To participate and receive a group meeting Zoom ID, don’t hesitate to contact Kathy Nepper, RN, at Kathy.nepper@corvallis-clinic.com or 541-768-2376.

Gynecologic Cancer Support Group: held the 2nd Tuesday of every month 1:30 PM – 3 PM

Breast Cancer Support Group: Held the 3rd Monday of every month 5:30 PM -7 PM

Blood Cancer Support Group: Held the 3rd Wednesday of every month 1:30 PM – 3 PM

Kathy Nepper, RN, serves as the cancer nurse educator/navigator for The Corvallis Clinic and Project H.E.R. She has been an Oncology Nurse for 42 years and is highly experienced in the areas of cancer education, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Contact: 541-768-2376

Project H.E.R. services are made possible through support and funding from The Corvallis Clinic and The Corvallis Clinic Foundation.