Annette Etienne
Virgin Islands Case Manager
My name is Annette Etienne and I have been Case Manager in St. Thomas since 2018. My goal as a Case Manager is to optimize care pathways by connecting patients to resources, knowing their stressors and understanding the negative impact on families, caregivers and most importantly patients. My work had mostly been with cancer patients until recently, I now provide case management to all patients needing services. I graduated from the University of Tampa with majors in Psychology and Sociology and a minor in Spanish.
Just this week I reached out to Anique, CSVI Patient Advocate to let her know what a difference the work at CSVI makes in our patient’s lives.
To highlight two of my current cases, Thursday afternoon, I dialed my patient’s number, oops... I reached her son and jokingly I said, “Boy, I dialed the wrong number again?” he said “No, I don’t know how to tell you this, but my mom passed away in late January.” I was speechless. I remembered receiving a call back in September from a woman crying uncontrollably saying she had not been able to get out of bed for three days. Taking her name and number, I hung up. A quick consult with her PCP and Oncologist resulted in a 911 call, followed by an air ambulance to Puerto Rico and a three month hospital stay. The patient was diagnosed with Metastasized cancer to the spine.
In December the patient returned for her follow-up visit and looked amazing. Her grant application from CSVI was ready for signature and when she received the funds she was overjoyed. She wanted to reimburse her son for her wheelchair. She said, “Mrs Etienne, I love my boys and they would do anything in this world for me, but they have their lives and I can’t take their money.” Financial stress of cancer care makes it difficult for patients to focus on recovery. Grants provided by CSVI bring much needed comfort and relief for patients. Unfortunately, this patient succumbed to a pulmonary embolism just several weeks ago.
A second patient with breast cancer received care from a local surgeon using a payment plan with the physician and the hospital. Three months after surgery, the patient started having abdominal issues and was later diagnosed with colon cancer. As Case Manager, financial options were discussed, only to learn the daughter was the only family member who could assist her mom. The daughter stated “God is in control, I will do anything to save my mother’s life. She is my Mother.”
Medications, ER visits, labs and scans soon brought to overwhelm this family. I reached out to CSVI who assisted the family with a grant. The family was able to continue juggling monthly payments so mom could continue receiving treatment. When the patient received her grant I received a call, “You are a Godsend for my mom.” I stated “It's not me, it's Cancer Support VI. I am only a bridge, but it is truly the work of CSVI touching the lives of Virgin Islanders.”
Cancer Support VI’s grant program helps patients deal with incidental costs associated with cancer treatment. The economic burden of cancer treatment hinders recovery and my aim is to direct the patient's focus on recovery, while providing guidance to cope with financial and emotional concerns of living with cancer. CSVI is definitely an integral part of a patient's recovery plan but there is a wide gap in oncology services and a great need for additional funding sources for patients in the Virgin Islands.