Roper St. Francis Healthcare is encouraging the public to vote through the Lance Armstrong LIVESTRONG Community Impact Project to support cancer patients in North and South Carolina.

There are four categories in the grant contest and there is a North Carolina or South Carolina cancer care provider finalist in each category.

Through an online voting process, two winners from each category will be awarded $10,000 in grants for cancer programs and patient support. Voting is underway now at vote.livestrong.org  and ends March 23, 2012.

“We are thrilled and honored to be selected as a candidate for two categories in the LIVESTRONG Community Impact Project,” said Scott Broome, director of oncology services, Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “We share LIVESTRONG’s passion for inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer and look forward to working together to make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors and their families.”

Broome encourages voters to consider all of the North and South Carolina finalists which include Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Roper Hospital – Roper St. Francis Foundation, Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, N.C. and the YMCA of Greenville, S.C.

“There are more than 2,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients each year in the Charleston area alone,” said Broome. “All of the finalists are proven providers and in our case, a nationally accredited and recognized program. Please help us and our colleagues be recognized and receive funding assistance from the highly respected LIVESTRONG organization.”

Your vote can help patients like this one who wrote this year, “I am writing this to let you in the hopes that you know how great your employees are at Roper St. Francis in the cancer area. I owe my life to one of them.” Another patient send a letter saying, “My good friend has breast cancer and every person we have encountered at Roper St. Francis facilities has been a shining example of excellence.”

 RSFH is included in two categories:

• Pillars4Life, where grants are given to programs proven to enhance the quality of life for cancer patients by helping cancer centers efficiently attend to the needs of a much greater number of patients.
• Certification for Advanced Palliative Care, which provides fully integrated care of the mind, body and spirit for people facing a long-term journey in cancer care including counseling, nutrition and a variety of medical services.

There are hundreds of organizations being considered to be a finalist however; the outcome is dependent upon the number of votes received for the organization.

The 2012 Community Impact Project will offer nearly $1.4 million in implementation awards to 90 winners. This represents the largest number of financial awards LIVESTRONG has granted in a single year in the foundation’s history.