HealthMark Multimedia in the News:

For Immediate Release

Contact: Susan Brink, Principal
HealthMark Multimedia, LLC
PH: 202-448-6150, Ext. 201
Email:

HealthMark Multimedia announces receipt of SBIR grant to produce a prototype product for persons with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer: Your Decision Notebook® will be the fourth in this award-winning series for patients.

Washington, DC, October 15, 2004 - HealthMark Multimedia, LLC, has been awarded a National Cancer Institute's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to produce a program for pancreatic cancer patients and their families to learn about and make decisions about treatment, clinical trials enrollment, palliative options and end-of-life care. A part of HealthMark Multimedia's Decision Notebook Series, the project is entitled, Pancreatic Cancer: Your Decision Notebook®. Although the number of patients diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer is relatively small, it is one of the most lethal cancers in the United States. Four-fifths of patients will die within one year of diagnosis and only 5% of patients survive for five years.

There is a dearth of educational materials or decision-making assistance available for pancreatic cancer patients and their families. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Pancreatic Cancer Progress Review Group in 2001 suggested that new tools be developed for both health care providers and patients to assist and support patient involvement in decision-making.

HealthMark's Notebook will provide clear, concise information and offer interactive tools to help users address decisions about treatment, clinical trials, symptom and complications management, psychosocial and communication support. In addition, it will address stress management, end-of-life planning and bereavement services. The interactive tools will be designed to help patients and their family members draw on their own values and preferences to reach decisions. Users will be able to upload interactive tools to their PDA.