James Denton will team with Stand Up To Cancer and Cancer Treatment Centers of America in an upcoming public service announcement, titled “Better Questions, Better Care,” that focuses on the importance of patient empowerment when confronted with a cancer diagnosis.
The PSA – which can be viewed here – promotes the QN2A Project, an interactive program where cancer patients and caregivers share all of the big questions that helped them better understand their condition, treatment options, side effects and more. These are the questions, that when answered by their health professional, help lead to treatment decisions based on the individual needs of each cancer patient.
Denton, currently starring on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, will appear in a print PSA and an online video to debut nationally in March. Capitalizing on the theme of “Better Questions, Better Treatment,” a social community at QN2A.org will be created where patients and caregivers can share the most useful questions and answers provided by their care teams to aid their treatment. The acronym, QN2A, means Questions into Answers and will serve as the first-ever user-generated aggregate of treatment questions. Users can vote for their favorite questions which will create a dynamically changing list of the big questions to ask your, or your loved ones’, care team. There will also be social extensions of QN2A.org at www.facebook.com/QN2A and @QN2A on Twitter.
“When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, one of the hardest challenges she faced was the overwhelming questions that came with that life-altering event,” said Denton. “Her courage is what inspired me to partner with Stand Up To Cancer and Cancer Treatment Centers of America to remind patients and their caregivers through this PSA that knowledge really is power.”
The print PSA features the message, “With cancer, having questions doesn’t make you weaker. It makes you stronger. The more you ask, the more you know, and the more you can stand up to cancer.”
Created by hatch and GSW Worldwide, the campaign also leverages Mobius technology to allow anyone with a cellular phone with texting capabilities to engage with the PSA and unlock additional content. A reader can simply take a photo of the PSA campaign’s elements and text the image to qn2a@agm.tw. The reader will then receive a MMS or SMS message back with access to the accompanying QN2A video and other links. The mobile-web microsite will feature a downloadable list of important questions to serve as helpful reference points, and visitors are encouraged to add to a separate, publicly-created list of additional recommended queries, based on personal experience.
“Far too many people know how cancer seems to take over every aspect of life,” said Sue Schwartz, co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer. “Regaining control over one’s life after a cancer diagnosis starts with knowing the right questions to ask. We are honored to team up with James Denton and Cancer Treatment Centers of America to not only encourage patients to ask questions and take action, but also to provide a forum for public discussion and feedback.”
“We are honored to collaborate with Stand Up To Cancer and James Denton,” said CTCA President and CEO Steve Bonner. “Questions are powerful tools in the fight against cancer. We see it every day, as patients turn to us seeking knowledge that will lead to options for their care. The QN2A Project will help patients and their families stand up to cancer. As someone whose family has been affected by cancer, James provides a strong voice to empower patients to ask the right questions that help them discover treatment options that are right for them.”
In the video, Denton is joined by real-life cancer patient Jayne Garcia Valseca and Dr. Shayma Kazmi, medical oncologist at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. Valesca, of Washington, DC, is a stage IV inflammatory breast cancer survivor, wife and mother of three. She is an advocate for personal empowerment and the value of caring for the whole person, not just treating the tumor. She co-authored “We Have Your Husband” with Mark Ebner (Berkley True Crime) and a movie adaptation of the book is currently airing on the Lifetime Network.
Dr. Kazmi is a medical oncologist and hematologist for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. She is board certified in oncology, hematology, internal medicine and is a licensed pharmacist. Dr. Kazmi completed her residency in internal medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
